The Amazing Race : General Mario Edition
by Met Guard
Summary: Watch as eleven teams of two compete in a race around the world for a dazzling amount of one million coins!
1. Prologue : Eleven Duos

_A/N : Well, looks like it's another at a hopeless fanfiction. This time, though, I'll try and organize and lay out my thoughts better. The Amazing Race is one of my favorite reality shows, and well, why not write a story for it? Of course... Oh well. Enjoy, and I apologize in advance once again if somehow (And it most likely will) this story goes awry. Oh, and here's an attempt at an (Original?) character; I've never made one before, so these concepts are new to me. So, meet Rosetta! (I bet you can guess what species she is.)_

_Disclaimer : I do not own The Amazing Race nor Nintendo, all rights go to their respective owners.

* * *

_

The Amazing Race : Mario General Edition

_(A camera zooms in.)_

A small flower patch swayed in the breeze. It was another sunny day at Princess Peach's Castle. All was quiet and at peace...which won't last for long. A few feet away from the bridge leading to the doors of Peach's Castle, one flower in a flower patch was...abnormal. Instead of swaying in the wind like the others did, this one little flower was quite resilient and would not budge. Surprisingly, after a few seconds, the flower popped out of the ground. When compared to the flowers next to it, this strange flower was much, much larger. Not to mention that its petals were a shade of pink rather than a dark shade of ruby red the other flowers had. It turned around, and...

It wasn't a flower at all. It was a Crazee Dayzee. The Crazee Dayzee jumped up and looked around expectantly, searching for something. Once her eyes came across the camera, she leaped up happily and started skipping towards it. Startled, the camera backed away, only to cause the Crazee Dayzee to skip even faster. Once they were ten feet apart, the Crazee Dayzee stopped to catch its breath.

"A-Ah...! M-Mr. L-Lakitu...! Please wait!" exclaimed the Crazee Dayzee, panting. "I'm Rosetta! The … h-host!"

The Lakitu reeled up his camera. He adjusted his glasses with his free hand, before realizing what he had done. "Oh! I am so sorry, Miss Rosetta. I was a bit … "

"...Apprehensive? No worries," Rosetta consoled, unhurt. "People are always a little wary of Crazee Dayzees. Amazee Dayzees, on the other hand..."

"Yes, well, Miss Rosetta, do you know when the contestants are arriving?" asked the Lakitu cameraman. "I came here early to make sure if all of your preparations are complete."

"The contestants? Oh, right! If I'm correct, they should be here any minute now." answered Rosetta.

The Lakitu looked slightly confused. "Then... where's the set? The baggage? The clues? Everything?"

"..."

"..."

"Oh no! I forgot!" Rosetta said. The Lakitu smacked his forehead. "I'm so sorry! I'll go get everything ready, right now!" Rosetta started to walk away, humming a light tune.

"Yes, well, you'd better hu – " the Lakitu started to say, before he suddenly fell asleep, lurching over his cloud.

* * *

Princess Peach's Castle. Undoubtedly one of the most notable places in the Mushroom Kingdom, this is where twenty two people will start and end their race around the world. This race, however, is unlike any other in history. Eleven teams of two, each of which already have an existing relationship, will race for a prize many have only dreamed of in their dreams; a prize of one million coins. The eleven teams are...

**– Team Select –**

_(All interviews, questions, and etc. are done by Rosetta.)_

**Mario and Luigi – Brothers**

"First, we have the iconic heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom : Mario and Luigi, brothers and experienced plumbers! Both of them have rescued princesses and saved lands, worlds, and even universes. How are you two feeling?"

"Mama mia! It's great. I am very happy to be on The Amazing Race!" the short, pudgy man wearing red replied. He wore a matching red cap on his head, which had the letter 'M' embroidered on the front of it.

"Ye-eah! It's great to have an opportunity at winning one million coins." agreed the taller, greener man next to him. His clothes were green where it was red on his brother's, and he had a large letter 'L' labeled on the front of his cap.

"I'm also looking forward to being able to bond with my brother, since he's rarely at home," Luigi added. "And when he is, it only takes a few minutes before he gets called onto another adventure..."

Mario looked at him apologetically. Luigi's slightly sad face immediately changed into one of embarrassment.

"No, no, Mario! I'm not blaming you for any of this. It's just unfortunate, that we were often barred the chance of meeting together during our lives..." said Luigi hastily.

"Yes...we've missed out on a lot of quality time together. I remember the great times we had when we were babies." Mario reminisced.

"Oh, don't remind me," said Luigi, shaking his head. "In fact, I think I prefer the times we've had recently, now that I think about it." Mario laughed.

* * *

**Peach and Daisy – Best Friends**

"The two royal princesses from the Mushroom Kingdom and Sarasaland, Princess Peach and Princess Daisy, are here sisters-in-arms. What's it like, being on The Amazing Race?"

"Oh, it's simply thrilling!" the girl on the right exclaimed, wearing an elaborate dress of yellow and orange, with flower-shaped accessories and short, brown hair. She had a pair of dainty white gloves that reached to her wrist. Her bubbly and sunny personality shone through the jewels on her crown, earrings, and brooch. "I can't wait to travel across the world, it's been such a long time since I've visited a kingdom other than mine or Peach's."

"Yes, it certainly is." replied the other princess in pink sitting next to her. She wore a light yet entrancing pink dress with a blue sapphire brooch resting in the center, along with matching earrings and crown. Her gloves extended all the way to her elbows. She had a nice, relaxed composure about her that gave off an air of someone that rarely gets upset or frustrated. "It's not very often you get to be on a game show, no matter what your status is."

"At least you've been on one; remember the time when you told me how you bested Bowser's baddies on a game show; while you were kidnapped?"

"Oh, well, yes, but..."

Daisy laughed triumphantly. "You answered all of the questions in one fell swoop! And don't forget the time when you were on the That's My Merlee! Show, and the Super Fun Quirk Quiz..."

"Oh, all right," Peach admitted. "Fine, so I have been on more than a few game shows; it is still a rare occurence for us to appear on a show on its first premiere, though."

Daisy shook her head. "I'm not so sure about that. Who knows if there are other versions of this show somewhere else in the world? Maybe in other universes, even."

Peach looked at her, puzzled.

"Plus, it'd be nice to improve our relationship," Daisy said, putting an arm around Peach's neck. "Not that we really need to work on anything, though! We've been best buds ever since the first day we met."

Peach agreed. "We're here for the experience, not the money. I'm looking forward to see how we will work together in the upcoming challenges that await us."

"...But, you have to admit, it'd still be pretty nice to win a million coins, right, Peach?"

Peach simply smiled at the camera hesitantly.

* * *

**Yoshi and Birdo – Engaged**

"Here we have Yoshi, a friendly dinosaur real estate agent that hails from Yoshi's Island, and Birdo, the retail manager living in the metropolis of Mushroom City. How does it feel, to be on The Amazing Race?"

"It's simply fantastic. It's an amazing feeling, that we're actually here, and competing for one million coins." said the pink-bowed reptile sitting on the left. She had a ludicrously large diamond ring on her finger.

The green reptile with a set of spikes trailing down his back and a red, shell-like item on his back, agreed enthusiastically. "Agreed. Our main goal is to win this contest of course, but it's also going to be refreshing traveling to various wonders around the world; and with Birdo by my side, it'll be a hundred times more exciting."

"Being with her is like swallowing a blue shell." Yoshi laughed, with Birdo looking at him in confusion at his strange axiom for a second, before joining in along with his laughter.

"This will be a great way to test our relationship; since we've been living separately most of the time, we haven't really worked as a team yet. Hopefully that won't be a hindrance during the race." Birdo explained.

"Yep! It can only get better." said Yoshi.

* * *

**Wario and Waluigi – Brothers**

"Wario and Waluigi, two brothers living in Wario's Woods. Both make a living by handling money, as it is their forte. So, guys, how are you two feeling, being on the Amazing Race?"

"Bah! We're here to win." said Wario, dressed in a pair of rather grotesque yellow overalls. A large letter 'W' was sewed onto the front of his matching yellow cap. By his side, his taller, thinner brother, Waluigi, nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Losing's not an option for us." Waluigi told the camera, glaring into it with a vindictive glare in his eyes. He was sporting a pair of purple overalls, and his cap had the letter 'L' flipped 180° imprinted on the front of it.

"We're willing to crush everyone in our way..." said Wario.

"...Using every advantage that we get." Waluigi finished.

"We're all enemies in the end, right?" Wario stated. "No use in prolonging what's going to happen sooner or later."

"That's all we're saying," said Waluigi.

* * *

**Toad and Toadette – Best Friends**

"Toad and Toadette, two Toads from Mushroom City that have had a tight friendship ever since childhood. How does it feel, you two, being on the Amazing Race?"

"I'm terribly excited for this!" Toadette exclaimed exuberantly. She was sitting by her partner's side, her pink plaited locks bouncing by the side of her head. She wore a small, cute pink vest over her magenta colored undergarments. "I never thought that us, two normal Toads, would actually be able to get on this show...it's almost unbelievable!"

Toad nodded. He was wearing his classic yellow-lined blue vest over his torso, with a pair of brown shoes that covered all of his feet. "I'm just stoked to be here with Toadette; I never would've imagined being with anyone else."

Toadette laughed a light, cheery laugh. "Oh, yes! Toad and I have been friends ever since childhood. I don't think we're going to have much trouble cooperating while on this race, we've done so for the past eleven years now!"

"Most of the time, at least." Toad corrected. "We've had a few disagreements in the past, but everything works out okay eventually."

Toadette shook her head. "I'm not that worried."

"We're going to try our best at winning the one million coins," Toad said. "But we're going to try and have some fun while we're at it, too."

* * *

**Bowser and Bowser Jr. – Father and Son**

"Bowser, the king of the Koopas, and his son, Bowser Jr., both from Bowser's Castle, are here on the Amazing Race. How are you two feeling today?"

"Excited, pumped, you know," Bowser said, flicking his hand lazily. The famed Koopa king had on a few spiked collars on his wrists, arms, and necks, and etcetera. His bush of orange hair positively flamed on top of his head, where two horns also rested. His fangs were clearly visible, even when he closed his mouth, giving him an appearance of a pseudo-vampire. "The usual."

"My poppa's used to these kinds of things," explained Bowser. Jr. The bib that he wore all the time rested around his neck. He had a few collars on his body as well, although they lacked the sharp spikes that his dad had. His hair resembled a small ember that rested atop his head, along with two tiny horns. He had some very tiny fangs that protruded from his upper lip. "He's famous, so these things are like a daily routine for him. Of course, I'm used to being in the spotlight as well, but my dad has a leg-up on me in terms of experience."

Bowser Jr. paused for a moment, before continuing. "For our plan, we're going to try and use our power of influence to our advantage; people are usually intimidated by us, as you all know, I'm sure."

"And this time, with Peach also competing, he's going to – " Bowser Jr. started to say, before being silenced as his father gave him a stern look.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Bowser Jr. spoke up again. "It's a shame that I can't bring my paintbrush, though, we would've had this in the bag if we could."

"But even so, we're going to win, right, dad?" asked Bowser Jr., looking up.

"Whatever you say, son." Bowser answered with a shrug.

* * *

**Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong – Dating**

"Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong, two dating, energetic Kongs that reside in DK Jungle. How are you two feeling, being on the Amazing Race?"

Dixie Kong, sitting on the right, was the first one to speak. "It's very exciting; I never would've thought that we would actually make it, when we first auditioned." Dixie was wearing a pink beret on her blonde hair, which was tied up into a ponytail. She wore a lavender colored T-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Life is full of surprises, and boy, did we get one when we were notified that we were accepted," Diddy told them. Diddy was wearing his trademark red cap, which had the letters 'DK' embroidered on the front of it, and sported a red tank top, with two golden yellow stars on the front of it. He was also wearing a pair of khaki shorts. "It's enthralling that we're here right now."

"Hopefully we won't lose during the first few...what was it? Legs, if I remember correctly. I haven't done much racing," explained Dixie, as she tried to remember. "It'd be nice to see a bunch of different places around the world, since I haven't had much of a chance to travel much. But I'm already happy enough to be here, with Diddy, and on the show, so I won't be disappointed at all if we get eliminated in the first leg."

Diddy looked at Dixie fondly. He turned back to face the camera and said, "Yeah. We won't mind if we lose, but that doesn't mean that we aren't going to try our best...we're willing to take risks."

"I'm so happy to be with you in this, Diddy." said Dixie, looking up into Diddy's face and leaning against his shoulder. He smiled and nodded, feeling the same way.

"I am too, Dixie."

* * *

**Boo and Dry Bones – Roommates**

"Boo and Dry Bones, two students from U-Goom University, who have been roommates for three years now. How does it feel to be on the Amazing Race?"

"Rather exciting." Boo said somewhat blandly. The expression on his face completely conflicted with his statement; he looked bored, to say the least. Boo was wearing nothing at all, but on his otherwise empty appearance he had a pair of sharp fangs that showed when he opened his mouth, and his black eyes gave off a feeling of disdain to those around him.

Dry Bones nodded along with Boo. Dry Bones, like Boo, wasn't wearing any apparel. As he spoke, his bones clacked and clattered, giving off the sense that he was terribly cold...or nervous. Most likely the latter. "Y-Yes. It most c-certainly is. I never would've expected for B-Boo and I to have m-made it here...we're t-typically overlooked when it c-comes to t-tryouts, but Boo...is d-determined."

Boo glanced at Dry Bones apathetically, yawning. He sat up a bit straighter before saying, "I have to admit, I was surprised too. There were probably many more candidates more qualified than us, so you can imagine how I felt when I heard that we were accepted."

Dry Bones nodded his head in agreement, with such enthusiasm and nervousness that his head nearly plopped off. Dry Bones readjusted his head, as if this was old-hat for him, before speaking. "T-This race is g-going to be a whole new experience f-for m-me...no, m-make that us. We m-may have been roommates f-for three years now, b-but we haven't really c-collaborated together on...anything. T-This would be a g-great way for us to w-work on our f-friendship."

"Yeah," said Boo. "Plus visiting all of these nations and such would be an enlightening experience. Being stuck on campus for so long makes you feel a little...restless, I guess you could say."

"I-I'm really looking forward to this," Dry Bones said. "I h-hope that we do well."

"One million coins are at stake. We can't afford to make any mistakes." stated Boo solemnly.

* * *

**Goomba and Koopa – Married**

"Goomba and Koopa, a cheery elderly couple living on the outskirts of Toad Town. How are you two feeling today, being on the Amazing Race?"

"Absolutely exhilarated!" exclaimed the jolly-faced Goomba, sitting on the right. Goomba was dressed rather dazzlingly; he had on a finely tailored suit, a blue plumed hat, a pair of spectacles, but otherwise looked like a regular old Goomba. He also had a bristling white mustache, which symbolized his longevity.

"Yes, I can't imagine that we are here," said Koopa. Koopa wore a fancy gown, and a rosy feathered hat which mirrored that of Goomba's. On her right arm she carried her beige colored purse. Koopa had a few wrinkles on her face, but her smile and positive attitude betrayed that fact. "It's not everyday you see a couple of oldies like us on a game show!"

Goomba nodded. "Back then, we didn't even have such a thing; that's how old we are."

"We're not planning to let age be a dominating factor in our performance," told Koopa. "Most people tend to underestimate old people due to their age, but we're ready to show them that that's not necessarily true."

"Yep! We're still as chipper as we were forty years ago," Goomba said happily. "And boy, are we ever excited! This race is something neither of us have experienced yet."

"Our long marriage and bond with each other may just be what will give us the leg-up on these youngsters!" exclaimed Koopa.

"And our experience in the outside world may be of benefit to us too; we've gone traveling quite a bit after our retirement, and all of our life experiences may come into play during the race." Goomba said.

"We're prepared, and we are going to think through things logically with an open mind." Koopa commented.

"But all in all, we're here for the experience, not the money. Of course, the money would be a nice bonus too, but seeing as how we're in our old age, occasions like these are rarely come across, so we're glad to even be here." added Koopa.

"Yessiree, this is going to be something extravagant..." said Goomba dreamily.

* * *

**Petey Piranha and King Boo – Friends  
**

"Petey Piranha and King Boo, friends and professors teaching at Toad Town University. So guys, how are you feeling to be on the Amazing Race?"

"Joyful! And a bit nervous," replied Petey Piranha, flapping his leaf-like limbs in an attempt to gesticulate his emotions. Petey looked just the same as ever, his polka-dotted bikini and friendly, round face still the same as it was ever since his first appearance. "Racing for one million coins...it's just unbelievable."

"Yes, it most certainly is." said King Boo, looking over at Petey. King Boo, like his relative, Boo, did not wear any clothes. However, he did have a very large and ornate crown on his head, with a humongous red ruby inlaid inside it. King Boo was also much larger than that of other Boos, his body size rivaling to that of Petey's equally large size.

"It's nice to be able to get out into the open," Petey explained. "It's why I became a botany professor. I'm eager to see what locales that we are going to visit."

"Spending time teaching all of these kids about biology can be quite taxing on the soul," said King Boo. "So I do agree with Petey on the fact that this will be very relaxing, visiting different places, even though there will most likely be stress and pressure involved in this upcoming race."

"Our knowledge isn't only limited to the subjects that we teach. We think that we have an advantage over the other teams with our vast wealth of knowledge, even though our physical deterrents may bring us down a bit." said Petey.

"I can already tell that this will shape up to be an interesting experience." said King Boo, smirking slightly.

* * *

**Noki and Pianta – Friends  
**

"Noki and Pianta, two residents and friends from Isle Delfino that work together in the Delfino Hotel. Tell me, how do you two feel, being on the Amazing Race?"

"Amazed, of course!" said Noki. Noki wore a small baby blue dress that fitted her petite body, and wore a jade bracelet on both of her wrists. Her spiral shell was decorated with multicolored stars, and on her lips was rosy red lipstick.

Her companion, Pianta, nodded in agreement, his rather bulbous nose moving as he did so. "Being in this race and having a chance to win a million coins is certainly something," Pianta told. "Exploring the world, that's also something."

Noki chuckled. She closed her eyes for a brief second before opening them again and saying, "Oh, yes! The exploration! It's something to admire, you know. Since Pianta and I work inside the Delfino Hotel, we get visitors from all over the world, dressed in all sorts of fancy-schmancy garments. I find it pleasurable that this time it's us that will do the exploring and visiting and checking in at hotels."

Pianta nodded again. Noki smiled as she said, "And not only will we check in at hotels, but we will also be the first ones to check-in at the finish line, at the end of this race."

"Hopefully our social skills as hotel receptionists will help us during the race," Pianta said. "We know how to deal with people, and are very resourceful."

"We can adapt to any situation quickly, easily, and efficiently." Noki said.

"We're looking forward to everything that's going to come in this race; improving our friendship, the exploring, the challenges, and most importantly, the one million coins." said Pianta.

* * *

"Can these teams stand up to the stress of traveling together across nearly thirty thousand miles? And which team will come up with the right strategy, the right combination of brains, brawn, and teamwork to win the one million coins?

All of these questions and more will be answered as we begin...

The Amazing Race.

Hosted by yours truly, Rosetta!" Rosetta exclaimed jubilantly, twirling the microphone in her hands.


	2. Leg 1 : An A Maze Ing Race

_A/N : Wow, thanks for all of the kind words, you guys! Hopefully this chapter will live up to all of your (And mine) expectations. I struggled slightly with this one; it took me a bit of time trying to figure out which team is in which place and all that. But anyways, enjoy the first leg of the race!_

krisetchers – Thanks for the review! ^^ I tried to be as in-character as possible while writing, but that typically isn't the case when some contestants don't have much personality of their own.

Drrockz – Thanks! And yes, I did see his writings. They were great, he certainly has a knack for them! J-Cag and LuigiMario also have great Amazing Race fictions too. ^^; I enjoyed reading all of them.

The Smart One – Thank you! Yes, this site sure could use some more... you'd think that with nearly 3,500 stories, there would be more than too few Amazing Race fan-fictions in the Mario genre. And I was also rooting for Brian & Ericka; it'd be great if their first leg win was the final one! (Wow, such an outdated response...but anyways, for Season 16, I'm personally rooting for Steve & Allie... Or err... now, Jet & Cord and Dan & Jordan, I suppose...)

**Chapter 1, Leg 1 : An A-Maze-ing Race**

_(A camera pans in around the courtyard of a luxurious looking castle, which is then identified to be Princess Peach's Castle, Mushroom Kingdom.)_

A Crazee Dayzee with rosy pink petals danced lightly on her feet in front of a bridge. Behind her, were eleven bags of luggage. In front . . . were the eleven teams to whom the luggage belonged to, each with existing relationships destined to go on an amazing race. This race spans across the entire world, unlike any other, filled with challenges and puzzles that will test their relationships, and at the end of it, one lucky, lucky team, will win . . . one million coins.

* * *

**- Team Select -**

Mario & Luigi – Brothers

Peach & Daisy – Best Friends

Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged

Wario & Waluigi – Brothers

Toad & Toadette – Best Friends

Bowser & Bowser Jr. – Father / Son

Diddy Kong & Dixie Kong – Dating

Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates

Goomba & Koopa – Married

Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends

Noki & Pianta – Friends

* * *

"Hello all!" exclaimed the Crayzee Dayzee host, Rosetta. "Nice to see you all here safe and sound!"

The teams smiled at and with each other, gleeful and excited looks on their faces. Rosetta coughed into her small, dainty hands before speaking into the microphone.

"In just a few minutes, you will be leaving off on a race that will span across the world; along the way, you will be required to complete a number of tasks. Some of these will be physically challenging, while others will challenge your intellectual abilities." she said, pausing for a moment.

"There will be eight elimination points, called pit stops, in this race. The first one is going to be happening very soon." Rosetta paused again, for dramatic effect. "And once you start, you need to complete your task as fast as you can. Because the last team to get to the pit stop will be out of the race. Does everybody understand that?"

Each contestant nodded, their faces still beaming with anticipation and joy.

"Okay." Rosetta walked over to one of the bags behind her, and picked up what looked like to be a yellow notebook. "This is your travel package. Inside, will be all the things that you need to know to get started, along with some coins. The only things you do not have to provide currency for are plane tickets. At each start of a new part of the race, or leg, you will get a new package, and thus, more coins. However you use the coins is up to you, but I advise you to spend it wisely, for you will not be able to get any more coins than provided until you finish this leg of the race."

The players nodded in understanding, their grins slightly fading, to be replaced by more serious looks.

"Behind me, your travel packages are attached to the luggage you brought with you. When I give you the word, you can go up there, open up your packages, and what you do after that . . . is completely up to you."

"Alright, everyone. The world is waiting for you." said Rosetta grandly, a twinkle in her eyes.

"I wish you all the best of luck . . ."

"Travel safe . . ."

Each of the teams were poised on their knees, looking ready to pounce, determined looks on their faces.

". . . Go!"

The teams immediately bounded off of where they were standing and ran towards the luggage, passing by Rosetta. Shrieks, shouts, and squeals pierced the air as twenty two people sprinted towards their first clue, their first stepping stone across a wondrous journey around the world.

Rosetta watched the scene of chaos unfold as it erupted before them. She beckoned for the cameraman to come closer, and smiled cutely. "It looks like this is getting off to a great start...!"

"I can't wait to see how they perform. I can imagine any one of these teams at the finish line," Rosetta remarked. "They all have so much potential in them."

". . . It's a shame that there can only be one. But that's what races are all about." said Rosetta, her pink petals shifting gently in the wind.

It's the start of the Amazing Race!

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers**

"Mama mia! Wait up, bro!" Luigi exclaimed, as Mario ripped open the package on top of their red and green luggage.

Luigi walked over to Mario, peering over to what he was ripping out. "Mama mia!" Luigi repeated. "This is really breathtaking." Luigi accepted the bundle of coins Mario handed over to him.

Mario read the clue aloud, his eyes flying across the small sheet of paper. "Travel to . . ."

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends**

". . . Delfino Plaza, on Isle Delfino!" finished Peach.

"Wow!" Daisy exclaimed, her grin becoming more pronounced than ever.

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged**

"Isle Delfino . . ." Birdo read aloud.

"Wow, honey . . . We're going to Isle Delfino!" Yoshi exclaimed excitedly.

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers**

"You may only travel . . ." Wario muttered, Waluigi breathing heavily over his shoulder.

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends**

". . . On one of these three flights . . ." said Toad.

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. – Father / Son**

". . . Mushroom Airlines 455 . . ." read Bowser, Bowser Jr. sitting on his shoulders.

**Diddy Kong & Dixie Kong – Dating**

". . . Delfino United 262 . . ." Diddy and Dixie read aloud together.

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates**

". . . Or Shy Guy Express Flights 101 . . ." read Boo.

**Goomba & Koopa – Married**

"Hurry, hurry . . ." read the elderly couple in unison.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends**

". . . Seats are first come, first serve." Petey read, slightly slurring his words.

**Noki & Pianta – Friends**

". . . You have two hundred coins for this leg of the race. First come, first serve?" read Noki, surprised.

"Oh boy, we'd better go!" Pianta exclaimed, hoisting a bag over his shoulder.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Toad Town Square)**

The two brothers were the first to depart from the castle grounds, and found themselves in Toad Town Square, where a few local oddities were located. A blue and shimmering spinning rooftop identified Merlon's house, which hads't changed at all the past few years. Luigi scratched his head, holding the bag of coins while his older brother turned his head to and fro, attracting a few curious stares from the locals.

"Okay bro, where to?" Luigi asked.

Mario arched an eyebrow. "The airport, of course. We need to get on the first flight."

Luigi was embarrassed. He turned away to not let his brother see the color rise to his cheeks. Mario didn't notice. After a few moments, Mario started to walk towards the airport. He quickly beckoned Luigi to come forward before heading over to the west. The cameras focused on Luigi, who was still standing still. After a small and irritable cough from the side, Luigi snapped out of his reverie and dashes off quickly to join his brother.

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends (Toad Town, Shopping Center Drop-Off Lot)**

A few minutes after the two brothers departed, Peach and Daisy headed off to the east and found their own source of transportation : a taxi, of course. Peach and Daisy settled comfortably in the backseat of the car while their taxi driver stowed their luggage.

Peach turned her head to face Daisy, a warm smile on her face. "Daisy, you're so clever. Asking a taxi on the streets would've been much more difficult than asking for one at the mall parking lot."

Daisy wagged a finger teasingly at her. "You learn to how to be street smart when you shop smart," Daisy said with a slight smirk. "Shopping talents aren't as useless as they seem."

Peach giggled, but stopped immediately when their Toad driver stepped back into the car. The driver slipped on a pair of white gloves before turning around and asking, "Where to, girls?"

"Oh, the International Airport, please," Peach told him. "We're in a race, so please hurry."

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged (Toad Town, West Streets)**

Yoshi & Birdo are the third team to depart from the starting line. Unfortunately for them, they haven't found a source of transportation yet, and ambled over to the west streets in hopes of catching a taxi passing by.

"Taxi, taxi!" Birdo called out, waving frantically at the cars passing by. None of the cars had that conspicuous sign on their hood.

"Did you manage to get one?" asked Yoshi.

"Nope. Sorry dear, getting a taxi here seems to be harder than it is in Mushroom City..." remarked Birdo. Yoshi didn't have the heart to rebut that there weren't even taxis on Yoshi's Island.

"We'll find one soon." Yoshi stated optimistically, picking up his egg-shaped suitcase. "In fact, look! Here's one now."

Birdo whipped around in surprise. She clapped her hands with joy when she saw Yoshi indeed was telling the truth. Without further ado, the two happily waved at the taxi driver and brought their luggage over.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta – Friends (Mushroom Kingdom Highway)**

"Dear, it took us a bit of time to get out of the courtyard..." stated Noki, glancing at the crystalline watch on her wrist. Noki had some starfish stickers tapered onto her shell, making her look somewhat childish. Pianta sat next to her with his large hands on his knees, staring silently at the back of the driver's seat.

"Well, it looks like we're heading back home..." Noki said somewhat sadly. "I didn't think we would so soon!"

Pianta stared out the window. After a bit of an awkward silence, Pianta replied, "We may have an advantage though."

Noki's face brightened visibly. "Yes. Yes, you're right. Isle Delfino is our homeland, after all! Things are looking bright for us!"

Pianta watched as a polka-dotted cloud soar gently through the sky as the taxi passed through Mushroom Bridge. Noki gazed out at the sea dreamily.

**Diddy Kong & Dixie Kong – Dating (Mushroom Kingdom Highway)**

"Oh, wow. We're heading off to Isle Delfino!" Dixie exclaimed, jumping in her seat and straining the seat belt buckled around her waist. Diddy smiled at her, and put his arm around her shoulder. "I can't wait to see what it looks like!"

"Me too. It'll sure be different from Kongo Jungle, I'm sure." said Diddy. Dixie stopped jumping, and turned to look at him.

"...I hear they have some of the freshest bananas in the world there." Dixie said suddenly, a serious look on her face.

"I doubt they're as good as ours!" Diddy said. Both of them laughed.

* * *

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. - Father / Son (Toad Town Square)**

"Dad, we're one of the last ones out," Bowser Jr. complained. The father and son were stumbling over the steps to reach the center of the square.

"Look! Even the two professors left before us..." said Bowser Jr., pointing to a yellow buggy nearby, where Petey Piranha was struggling to get inside the car.

"Now, boy, it's fine," Bowser replied. "There's still time to catch up."

**Goomba & Koopa – Married (Toad Town Square)**

"Dear, I think we're the last team to leave," said Koopa dejectedly, dragging a suitcase behind her, her beige purse dangling off her wrist. "Oh, I really feel slow..."

"Now, now, Koopa-bun, don't worry! This is only the beginning of the race. We still have a lot more to go." Goomba said happily.

"The ticket said that seats are first come, first serve," Koopa remembered. "That means that there must be some sort of time gap between the flights... Oh, honey. We're off to a bad start..."

"Dear!" Goomba exclaimed, startled by her negativity, as Koopa was usually very cheery and bright-faced. "Didn't I tell you, we're still at the beginning of the race? We can cover lost ground in the upcoming challenges. Besides, we're only a few minutes late."

Koopa looked slightly hurt. "W-Well... I... suppose you're right."

Goomba smiled at her encouragingly. "Let us go onward!" And Goomba headed off. Koopa gave a sigh and trudged on, both of them heading towards the west streets.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Mushroom Kingdom International Airport)**

"We're here, Luigi!" Mario said, tapping Luigi on the shoulder, who was dozing. Luigi jumped up with a start.

"We're at the airport! Let's grab our luggage," said Mario. Luigi became focused at once and the two ran out of the taxi to grab their luggage.

"Hey, I think we may be first, Mario!" Luigi said excitedly. "There aren't any other teams around. Or we may be in dead last."

Mario shook his head, setting his luggage on the ground and rolling it in into the airport.

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends (Mushroom Kingdom International Airport)**

"Aha! We're here, Toad!" Toadette exclaimed, pointing at the imposing yet colorful building in front of them. "There's the airport!"

"Hopefully we're one of the first ones here... I sure want to get on that first flight." Toad muttered more to himself than to Toadette.

Toadette turned to face him, her plaits whipping around. "Oh, be a bit more lighthearted, won't you? We're heading to Isle Delfino! That by itself is something to look forward to."

"Yeah, but not while in a race for a million coins..." Toad complained. "There's no time to take in the sights."

Toadette shook her head. "Come on, we're here."

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers (Mushroom Kingdom International Airport)**

"Wario, there's the airport." said Waluigi, his mustache bristling as usual.

"Eh? Is that another taxi ahead of us?" Wario grunted, squinting his eyes to get a better look.

"T-Those are the Toads!" Waluigi said, surprised for a moment, before becoming furious. "How did those two bumbling idiots manage to get ahead of us!"

The taxi driver looked back at Waluigi with a curious look on his face. Waluigi noticed, and shouted, "WHAT'RE YOU LOOKING AT?" The taxi driver recoiled and the taxi spun off-road. "Why you little...!"

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates (Mushroom Kingdom International Airport Entrance)**

"We're here..." Boo said with a sardonic look on his face. He carefully lifted out of his luggage from the trunk, before tossing it over to Dry Bones, who was just stumbling out of the taxi. Dry Bones collapsed under the sudden weight.

"H-Hey! W-Watch it... p-please..." moaned Dry Bones, trying to reassemble himself once he escaped from underneath all that luggage.

"Woops," Boo said, lifting a golf bag off of Dry Bones, which didn't help him much at all. "Come on, let's go. The other teams are likely to be ahead of us."

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Mushroom Airlines Ticketing Station)**

"Well, let's try Mushroom Airlines," suggested Mario. "According to the departure and arrival times board, this should be-a the first flight."

"Okay!" Luigi agreed. He ran up to the counter. A jolly-faced Toad lady was sitting behind the seat.

"Hello, how may I help you today?" the Toad lady asked.

"Hi. We would like two tickets on the next flight to Isle Delfino," Luigi asked. "The... um, what was it, Mario?"

Mario consulted the ticket clue. "Flight 455!"

"Flight 455, please." asked Luigi. The Toad lady nodded, and typed the information into the computer. Luigi tapped his fingers agitatedly, and after a few minutes, a reassuring 'ping' sounded from the computer. The Toad lady smiled, and handed the duo back their passports and tickets. Luigi accepted them with relief.

"Your flight will depart at 1:35 P.M., and arrive at 3:45 P.M. Thank you for flying on Mushroom Airlines today." the Toad lady said. Luigi turned around to face Mario, and they gave a high-five to each other.

"Yahoo!" Mario exclaimed.

"Looks like we're on the first flight!" Luigi said happily.

_~ Mario & Luigi - 1st on Mushroom Airlines Flight 455 ~_

"We're off to a great start-a!" stated Mario.

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends (Mushroom Airlines Ticketing Station)**

The two Toads came running up to the counter not long after the Mario brothers left. Toadette was slightly faster, as she made it to the desk first. Slightly breathless, Toadette dropped their passports onto the counter.

"Hi!" Toadette greeted. "We would like two tickets on Flight 455, to Isle Delfino, please."

"Sure," the Toad lady replied. After a few clicks and taps on her keyboard, she handed Toadette two tickets. "Your flight will depart at 1:35."

Toadette smiled and nodded. "Thank you!"

Toad just caught up with her. Panting, he asked, "S-So, did we get the tickets?"

"Yep! We're lucky! We're on the first flight." said Toadette jubilantly.

_~ Toad & Toadette - 2nd on Mushroom Airlines Flight 455 ~_

"Come on, let's go to the gate," Toadette called. Toad sighed and followed her.

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends (Mushroom Airlines Ticketing Station)**

"Hiya!" Daisy said to the attendant behind the desk. Peach was standing behind her."We were wondering if there are any seats available on Flight 455, heading towards the Delfino Airstrip of Isle Delfino."

"Let me check for you," replied the Toad lady. She clicked a few times. "Hmm... yes, it looks like there are two seats left for that particular flight."

"Oh, splendid!" Peach said, popping in. "We would like two tickets please."

The Toad lady handed them their tickets. Peach and Daisy hugged each other, happy that they got the last two tickets for the first flight.

_~ Peach & Daisy - 3rd on Mushroom Airlines Flight 455 ~_

"Looks like your taxi advice really helped," Peach said. "We might not have gotten on the flight otherwise."

Daisy grinned. "See, what I'd tell ya?"

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers (Mushroom Airlines Ticketing Station)**

"What... do you mean that there are no tickets available?!" Wario said angrily, pounding the counter with his fist. The Toad lady shrank back in fright.

"U-Um, I'm s-sorry sir, but we ran out..." she whispered. "W-We gave the last t-two tickets to those l-ladies o-over there, s-sir."

"The princesses!" realized Waluigi. "How did THEY get in front of us?"

"Just great. Now we need to find the second flight." Wario groaned, slapping his hand to his face.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating (Delfino United Ticketing Station)**

The dating couple held their hands as they walked up to the Delfino United counter.

"Oh, I hope you're right about this," Dixie said worriedly. "About thinking that there might not be any seats left on the first flight."

"Yeah, well, we did get out pretty late, compared to some of the others," said Diddy, shrugging his shoulders. "Better to be safe than sorry."

Dixie squinted at him, as if she were talking to some foreigner from Shiver City. Her eyes plainly gave a look that said, "Seriously?"

"Ah, it looks like it's our turn." Diddy said, who ignored Dixie's confused glare. He walked up to the counter, where a Pianta wearing a tacky suit sat behind, tapping away on a keyboard. The Pianta looked up.

"Yes? How may I help you?" asked the Pianta, pushing up his glasses.

Diddy eagerly stepped up. "Hi, we would like two tickets for flight 262 heading towards – "

"Isle Delfino, right?" the Pianta interjected, brushing his hand. "That's the only destination to and from here. "

Dixie wanted to contradict him, but Diddy nudged her gently, and she fell quiet. After a few moments, the Pianta handed them their tickets.

"There you go. Your flight will depart at 2:00 P.M."

"Thank you."

_~ Diddy & Dixie - 1st on Delfino United 262 ~_

"Sweet," Dixie said approvingly. "Let's check-in. We have a bit of time before we have to get ready."

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers (Delfino United Ticketing Station)**

The two crafty siblings marched up to the counter, right after Diddy and Dixie disappeared from sight. Wario was still slightly fuming, so Waluigi decided to take care of the tickets.

"We would like two tickets to Isle Delfino. The earliest one." Waluigi requested, in a rather threatening tone, which the Pianta didn't pay attention to.

"Flight 262?" asked the Pianta, keeping his eyes on his monitor. "Very well... Here are your tickets."

_~ Wario & Waluigi - 2nd on Delfino United 262 ~_

"Well, it's better than the third flight, at least." Waluigi said. Wario merely scoffed and they headed towards the waiting area.

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged (Delfino United Ticketing Station)**

"Oh, I can't believe that there were no tickets left to the first flight..." Birdo said, sighing. "I didn't think the other teams would make it here that fast."

"We underestimated them. Let's just hope there are still tickets to the second flight." suggested Yoshi, pointing over to the counter ahead of them.

Yoshi asked if there were any tickets left. The Pianta nodded. "Yep. You two got the last two tickets."

Birdo looked incredulously at Yoshi, before crooning happily. "Here you are. Your flight departs at 2:00 P.M."

"That's a relief." Yoshi said unnecessarily.

_~ Yoshi & Birdo - 3rd on Delfino United Flight 262 ~_

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends (Shy Guy Express Flights Ticketing Station)**

"Oh, two tickets please." said King Boo. A Shy Guy wearing a conductor's cap was handling their flight. Petey was signing a few papers next to him. He had extraordinarily good handwriting for someone with leaves as hands. "To Isle Delfino, Flight 101."

"Yes...sir. Here are your tickets." the Shy Guy said, handing them the tickets. "Your flight will depart at 2:25 P.M."

_~ Petey Piranha & King Boo – 1st on Shy Guy Express 101 ~_

King Boo turned around to face Petey. "Well, I guess we can't complain." King Boo said. "It was our fault for getting here so slow."

"It's my fault, really. If I hadn't struggled getting into the taxi door..." Petey started to say, before King Boo shushed him.

"It doesn't matter. Like I said, we certainly have ample time to catch up." muttered King Boo into Petey's ears. "It's only the start of the race, after all."

**Goomba & Koopa / Noki & Pianta (Shy Guy Express Flights Ticketing Station)**

"And so, I asked, whatever could you do?" Koopa told, her face beaming. It seems that the old couple somehow got mixed in with the co-workers, and to break the awkward ice between them, Koopa decided to tell them a story. "I mean, it was her own scarf, after all, that she wanted to knit as a present for my niece, of course."

Silently, Noki thought to herself, "How on earth did we get mixed up with these two? I thought we were ahead of them."

"Oh, dear, it looks like we're up." said Goomba, pointing over to the open space ahead of them, where the Pianta was standing.

The two groups ordered there tickets quickly. Or at least Noki and Pianta did. Goomba and Koopa decided to take their time in making sure that they're making the right choice on going that flight, much to the chagrin of Noki and Pianta.

_~ Noki & Pianta - 2nd on Shy Guy Express 101 ~_

_~ Goomba & Koopa - 3rd on Shy Guy Express 101 ~_

"I have to say, I'm rather hungry." Goomba said suddenly, turning to the rest of the quartet. "Would anyone care to have a bite? I'll host."

The three of them nodded, and headed towards the food court.

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates (Shy Guy Express Flights Ticketing Station)**

"Ugh, these spots are horrible..." grumbled Boo, snatching the tickets from the Shy Guy across the counter.

_~ Boo & Dry Bones - 4th on Shy Guy Express 101 ~_

"I g-guess we shouldn't have f-fooled around, h-huh?" Dry Bones inquired, looking crestfallen.

"Ah, well, let's just plow on for what's ahead," said Boo, shrugging. "We just need to double our efforts once we reach Isle Delfino."

Dry Bones nodded in agreement, staring down at the floor.

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. – Father / Son (Shy Guy Express Flights Ticketing Station)**

"Wow, dad, that really... took a while," Bowser Jr. complained. "How could you have read the map upside-down?"

Bowser grumbled and propped his elbow against the counter, not wanting to make eye contact with his son. The Shy Guy gave them their tickets.

"Your flight will depart at 2:25 P.M., sir. Thank you for choosing Shy Guy Express today." said the Shy Guy in a jolly tone.

_~ Bowser & Bowser Jr. - 5th on Shy Guy Express 101 ~_

"I'm sure we're last," stated Bowser Jr. "I'm just sure of it. Why do we always get stuck in these situations?"

* * *

All teams are now headed to Isle Delfino via three flights. The first flight, which departs at 1:35 P.M., carries the teams brothers Mario & Luigi, childhood friends Toad & Toadette, and best friends Peach & Daisy.

The second flight, which departs at 2:00 P.M., carries the teams dating couple Diddy & Dixie, brothers Wario & Waluigi, and engaged couple Yoshi & Birdo.

The third and final flight, which departs at 2:25 P.M., carries friends Petey Piranha & King Boo, co-workers Noki & Pianta, married couple Goomba & Koopa, roommates Boo & Dry Bones, and father and son Bowser & Bowser Jr.

* * *

Mushroom Airlines Flight 455 – Departs at 1:35 P.M.

The three teams on the first flight weren't very surprised to see each other when the got on the plane, as they had already acquainted themselves with each other before the show.

"Oh, hi Mario! And Luigi!" Toadette greeted, dragging along a pink suitcase. "And Peach and Daisy too!"

"Hello," Toad said. Daisy gave them a shout-out, and Mario and Luigi smiled.

"Wow, Peach and Daisy are here too!" Luigi said aloud to himself, watching Daisy stowing away her and Peach's luggage enthusiastically.

"I've never been on an economy-class plane before," said Daisy happily. "I wonder what it'll be like."

"Well, it certainly looks crowded..." Peach stated, who has been used to the luxuries her private jet provided for her. She sat down in her designated seat with grace.

Mario looked out of his window seat, and saw that the plane was beginning to take off. "Off we go!"

"To Isle Delfino!" Toadette and Daisy shouted in unison, while Peach, Toad, and Luigi merely smiled.

* * *

Delfino United Flight 262 – Departs at 2:00 P.M.

Yoshi & Birdo and Diddy & Dixie socialized in their plane while Wario and Waluigi were staring at them malevolently from the back.

"I'm happy that we all made it on the second flight," Dixie said, smiling. "I hope we're not too far behind."

"Oh, I checked the lists; they only have a twenty-five minute advantage," explained Birdo.

"That's a relief," Diddy confessed.

Yoshi nodded. "Let's all try our best."

"Even those Gloombas back there, I suppose," Yoshi added as an afterthought, gesturing behind them, where Wario and Waluigi were plainly visible peeking over their seats to spy on them. The four of them laughed as the two brothers hastily sat back down.

* * *

Shy Guy Express Flights Flight 101 – Departs at 2:25 P.M.

Needless to say, the remaining five teams were rather disappointed to be on the last flight, merely mumbling greetings to each other and preferring to keep their own counsel.

"We're getting off to a bit of a bad start," declared Petey Piranha. King Boo mumbled an affirmative response.

"Oh, tell me about it!" Noki shouted in frustration, startling those around her. "I won't be able to stand up to myself if we get eliminated in the first leg of the race..." Pianta patted her on the back, causing Noki herself to jump and retreat inside her shell. Her partner chuckled, lugging their suitcases to the rack above them.

"Okay dear, it looks like we have to quicken our pace a bit," Koopa said to Goomba, who was staring at a television ad for Shroom Shakes on the screen in front of their seat. When Goomba didn't respond, Koopa pinched him, causing him to yelp.

"YOW!"

"I think we need to reconcile our efforts for a bit..." Boo muttered, rubbing his temples. Dry Bones clacked his bones in agreement.

"Dad, let's work harder from now on, okay?" asked Bowser Jr., his tone a bit demanding. "We can't lose in the first round..."

"Yeah, yeah, we will, Junior," Bowser assured him. "We can win the whole darn race. It doesn't take a braniac to figure that out."

* * *

Delfino Airstrip – 3:45 P.M.

The first three teams made their way out of their plane casually, breathing in their exotic surroundings and looking up in awe.

"Wow, this is amazing!" exclaimed Toadette, waving her arms and spinning around, giggling.

"Obviously!" Daisy agreed.

"Hey, look," Luigi pointed out. A rectangular clue box with a red and green-striped banner tacked on the post was lying straight ahead of them, in front of two water tanks and a small pool. "Is that the clue box?"

"I think it is!" gasped Peach. After an awkward moment of silence, everyone made a mad dash for the clue box, as if they just remembered that they were in a race.

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 1st (Delfino Airstrip, Water Reservoirs)**

"Here's the next clue!" Mario said, hastily pulling out a clue from the clue box and opening it. "It says, make your way to Delfino Plaza."

Teams must now make their way to Delfino Plaza. Once there, they have to find the Grand Pianta Statue, where they will receive their next clue.

"Okay! Let's go," Luigi said, who was peering over Mario's shoulder as he read the clue. "But... um, how do we get there? We're surrounded by sea."

"The ferry," answered Mario. Luigi shrugged his shoulders. The two of them began to head towards the saloon nearby, which also functioned as an airport.

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : Currently in 2nd (Delfino Airstrip, Water Reservoirs)**

"Hm, how will we get to Isle Delfino?" Toadette wondered, stowing away her clue in her backpack.

"Why don't we go ask the help desk?" suggested Toad.

"That sounds like a good idea." The two Toads headed toward the saloon as well.

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : Currently in 3rd (Delfino Airstrip, Water Reservoirs)**

Peach and Daisy walked to the clue box, due to them having trouble running in their dresses.

"Oh, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to wear dresses on a race," Peach said sadly, lifting up the hems of her dress to stop from tripping as they power-walked to the clue box.

"I thought you were used to it," Daisy coalesced, laughing. Peach gave her a befuddled and offended look. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

"So, Peach, I heard that you've been here before," Daisy said. "Any idea how to get to the plaza?"

"Last time I was here, we took a ferry to Delfino Plaza," Peach recalled from her memories. "Why don't we go ask and make sure?"

* * *

Delfino International Airport, Information Desk – 3:55 P.M.

"Why yes, we do have ferries that take you to Delfino Plaza," said a Pianta lady wearing some thick-rimmed glasses. "In fact, I think that the next one departs in around... five minutes."

"Five minutes? Thank you, ma'am." Luigi said, somewhat surprised. "We'd better hurry."

Toad and Toadette stumbled in to the information desk.

"Hiya guys! Are you looking for some transportation, too?" said Toadette happily when she spotted red and green.

"Yes, there's a ferry that leaves in five minutes!" Luigi told them, only to cover up his mouth in haste. Mario gave him an exasperated look.

"We all might be able to make it if we hurry," Toad said.

Toadette was staring blankly ahead of her before spotting a patch of pink and yellow. She hurriedly exclaimed, "And oh look, here comes Peach & Daisy! I think we'll all make it after all."

* * *

Delfino Ferry – 4:00 P.M.

Having paid the fee of ten coins for the passage, the three teams boarded on the ferry to Isle Delfino. It seems that they were the only passengers; no one else was present other than the ferry captain.

"Is that everyone?" said the Pianta captain, who had a cap with a Shine Sprite labeled on it on his head. "Off we go, then!"

The captain chuckled as he pulled the bell, which made a foghorn-like sound that was surprising coming from a little bell.

* * *

Delfino Airstrip – 4:10 P.M.

The second flight has just arrived on the scene. Yoshi & Birdo and Diddy & Dixie ran out of the plane, relieved to see that they've reached their destination and were turning wildly to find their next clue. Dixie spotted the clue box near the pool, and urged everyone to run. Wario & Waluigi trailed behind, looking sneaky, as usual.

"Okay, make your way to Delfino Plaza," Yoshi read.

"I recall reading about some ferries that take you to and from locales in Delfino Plaza in the brochure I got on the plane," blurted Birdo hurriedly. "Why don't we go search for one?"

"Yeah... unless we go by helicopter or water-ski over there," Diddy joked.

The four of them dashed towards the airport. Wario and Waluigi faced each other.

"Let's follow them?" Waluigi asked, his great spindly mustache spinning on his thin face.

Wario nodded. The two stalked off after them.

* * *

Delfino Plaza, Shorelines 4:15 P.M.

"Welcome to Delfino Plaza!" said the Pianta captain, as they arrived on the shore near some fruit stalls and a lighthouse. The passengers hastily thanked the captain before dashing across the sand, with the brothers out in front while the Toads and princesses lagged behind.

"Oof!" Toadette grunted as she tripped over the sand. Toad bent over to quickly help her up, in which the princesses over took them, walking a fast gait.

"I think I see the cluebox; it's over there, in front of that statue!" Daisy exclaimed.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 1st (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"Here's the clue," Luigi said, as this time he was the one to open it. "Roadblock. Who's ready to stand up to the sun?"

A Roadblock is a task that only one person may perform, and no one person can perform any more than eight on the entire race.

_In this Roadblock, teams will have to make their way to the very heart of Delfino Plaza : the Shine Gate, known as the keeper of the Shine Sprites on the sunny isle. Players will then have to find a way to clamber up to the grassy greens behind the Shine Gate that overlook a waterfall and find a marker directing them where to go. Mountain climbing is a popular past-time on the island, for its high and exotic locales such as Noki Bay and Corona Mountain; and that is exactly what teams are to do : Climb the Shine Gate. Once at the top, they will receive their next clue from a Pianta._

"Oh boy, this doesn't sound very fun," mumbled Luigi, handing over the clue to Mario, giving him a look that plainly said, "I really, really don't want to do it."

Mario arched an eyebrow at him. "Fine, I'll do it." Luigi jumped in joy.

"Climb the Shine Gate?" Mario said, surprised. "Well, I've done it once before, I can do it again."

"Yeah, but that time, you had some help," Luigi pointed out. Mario ignored that statement, and ran out of the west square to search for the Shine Gate.

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : Currently in 2nd (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"A roadblock..." Peach said. "Do you want to do it, Daisy?"

"Heck yeah!" replied Daisy with a shout, who hadn't even read the clue yet. "Oh, climb the Shine Gate? Neato!"

Daisy dashed off without another word, eager to get started on her task. Peach yelled out suddenly, "Wait! Daisy! Do you know how to get – Oh, it's too late... I hope she doesn't get lost..."

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : Currently in 3rd (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"Roadblock!" Toad announced, reading the envelope. "Who's ready to stand up to the sun?"

"Ooh, that sounds interesting," said Toadette.

"Do you want to do it?" Toad asked.

"Sure!" was her reply. Toad handed her the clue.

"Scale the Shine Gate? Well, I'm not a very experienced mountain climber, but this sounds like fun!" exclaimed Toadette, her eyes shining brightly as she grasped the clue tightly in her fist. "I'm off!"

"I don't think it'll be like mountain climbing, but good luck, Toadette!" Toad called out to her.

"Hm... where could the Shine Gate be...?" Toadette said to herself. "The heart of the plaza... the center, of course!"

* * *

**Mario (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Front)**

"Hm, how to get behind the Gate..." Mario mumbled to himself. He looked around for some sort of ladder or staircase, but as was his last visit at Delfino Plaza, there were none. Mario walked around for a bit, before finding a Pianta lady sitting under a woven basket, of which a rope was attached to the side of it. Mario's eyes lit up.

"Hello, ma'am," Mario greeted. The Pianta lady looked up. "May I borrow the rope of your basket to err... climb up... there?"

The Pianta lady gave Mario a baffled look. "Um, sure. Watch your footing though, I keep all my pineapples in there."

"Will do." Mario replied, smiling. He started to climb up the rope, and headed to the back of the Gate.

**Daisy (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

Daisy, who rushed ahead and did not take a map with her, ran into the crowded streets of the plaza and found herself lost, ambling in an alley.

"Oh, darn. I think I'm lost." Daisy said to herself, somewhat confused. She tapped the shoulder of the nearest Pianta. "Excuse me, do you know where the Shine Gate is?"

The Pianta pointed over somewhere to the east. "You walk up this alley, make a right, then a left, and straight until you reach the Delfino Pier."

"Ah, okay, thanks!" said Daisy, giving the Pianta a wave before trotting off again.

**Toadette (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"The Shine Gate is that way?" Toadette said, who was asking a Noki for directions. The Noki confirmed.

"Okay, thank you very much!" yelled Toadette, who immediately started to run, before stopping suddenly.

"Owww, my knee..." she moaned, rubbing her feet. "Why did I have to trip earlier?"

* * *

**Mario (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Back)**

"T-This seems a lot different than last time I was up here," Mario said hesitantly, gazing up at the looming structure. Instead of the smooth wall he was used to seeing, there were footholds and thresholds all over the place. Mario began his climb, taking each step slowly one by one.

"It's a long way up..." Mario panted, reaching for the next threshold.

* * *

**Luigi / Peach / Toad (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"That was nice of them to bring us here to the top," said Luigi, looking down from their platform. "Gosh, this looks so high..."

"Yes, well, how else would we see the progress of our fellow teammates?" Peach reasoned. "It would've taken forever to get back down and find your partner."

"It would've been more fun though if you could parachute down from the top..." muttered Toad.

"Hey, look! There's Mario!" Peach interrupted, pointing down at a speck of red below. "Looks like he's the first one here."

Luigi spun around. "Oh! Hey, bro! Good luck down there!"

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo / Diddy & Dixie – Currently in 4th (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"Who's ready to stand up to the sun?" read Birdo, holding the clue out.

"I guess I can do it," said Yoshi. Birdo nodded, dropping down her backpack. She took out a map of the plaza and handed it to Yoshi.

Yoshi accepted it. Birdo gave him a wink, and said, "Here. You might need it."

"I have no idea what this means," Dixie confessed, turning to face Diddy. Diddy backed up a step when Dixie looked at him for help.

"I can do it then, I guess," said Diddy, which made Dixie smile as she handed him the clue. "Scale the Shine Gate? Sounds pretty easy."

Dixie's face brightened. "Ooh! You'll ace this one then, Diddy!" she said as Diddy ran off, with Yoshi running right behind him.

* * *

Delfino Airstrip – 4:45 P.M.

The third flight has just docked in at the airport, which held five teams. As it landed on the airway with a soft thump-thump, the teams inside stared out the window in agitation to get off the plane.

"Go go go!" Noki squealed delightedly as she ran out of the plane, Pianta right behind her. She looked up, and saw the clue box straight ahead of them. "There! The clue box!"

The roommates Boo & Dry Bones were on the co-workers' tails, followed by the father and son Bowser & Bowser Jr., the professors Petey and King Boo, and bringing up the rear are the elderly couple of Goomba and Koopa.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 6th (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"...Roadblock." Waluigi grumbled, reading the clue with protuberant eyes. "Who's ready to stand up to the sun?"

"You should do this one," Wario said. "This one sounds like you need to jump for something, and I'm no good at that."

"Yeah... fine, I'll do it," agreed Waluigi. "But you'll have to do the next one. So, what do I have to do...? Climb the Shine Gate? That sounds ridiculous. The thing is like a hundred feet tall!"

"With your height, that won't be a problem," Wario told him, shoving him slightly. "Now go! You're wasting time. We've already lost track of those two couples."

**Mario & Luigi – Currently in 1st (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"Whew," Mario sighed in relief, as the Pianta took off the fastenings around his waist. Luigi was waiting for him at the top, who yelled out, "You did it, bro!" and climbed down to see him. Mario accepted the next clue gratefully, and read, "Make your way to Pianta Village."

Players must now make their way to Pianta Village. Once there, they will have to make their way to the town spa, which is famous for its healing properties and soothing atmosphere, where they will find their next clue.

"To Pianta Village, then?" said Luigi looking around. Mario nodded. "Where do we head first, then?"

Mario pointed to a red pipe right next to them. Luigi gave Mario a blank look. Mario grinned and said, "The pipe that leads to Pianta Village is right there. That one."

Luigi stared at him. "Then, what are we waiting for? Let's go to Pianta Village!"

Mario agreed wholeheartedly, and the two brothers plunged down into the pipe in front of them, while Peach and Toad watched them in dismay.

"Oh, you'd better hurry, Daisy..."

"Come on, Toadette..."

* * *

**Daisy (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

Daisy was still lost within the streets of the plaza. She bit her lip, looking awfully desperate to get this Roadblock over with.

"Agh... Did that Pianta say to make a right at the first turn? Or was it left..." she mumbled to herself.

**Toadette (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"Gosh, this is a lot harder than I thought," Toadette realized, walking through another alleyway. "And my stupid knee hurting doesn't help."

**Yoshi (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"Looks like Diddy and I have split up," commented Yoshi, unfurling the map Birdo gave to him. "Good thing Birdo was clever to take a map from the information desk..."

"Ah, so the Shine Gate is due north. That makes things much easier." Yoshi said after examining the map for a minute or so. He began to jog through the streets, curiously looking at the surroundings as he did so.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Currently in 7th (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"Looks like we're the first of our group to make it here," noticed Noki, picking out a yellow clue envelope from the clue box. "There's still a few clues in the box."

Pianta shook his head. "That could mean anything, though."

"True," Noki said, before opening the clue and reading it. "Roadblock. Who's ready to stand up to the sun?"

Pianta looked at her. Noki said, "Hm. Well, I guess I can do this one. I like the sun; I've sunbathed on Gelato and Sirena Beach a lot when I was younger."

"Oh, gosh, that makes me sound so old!" Noki rebuked, covering her mouth. She hastily opened up the rest of the clue. "Scale the Shine Gate? What on earth?"

Pianta patted her on the back. "This is NOT what I had in mind, but oh well. I'm off!"

* * *

**Diddy (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Front)**

Diddy managed to get to the front of the Shine Gate without much effort, much to his surprise. But really, it was just a coincidence that he just headed on the right path which had a sign that read, "SHINE GATE PATH".

"Well, that was easy," Diddy said chuckling. "How to get up there, now..."

Diddy noticed the parasols sitting right against the wall. "Hm, I hope no one minds if I use one of these …"

* * *

**Waluigi (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"Hey! Sprout-head!" shouted Waluigi at a Pianta, trying to ask for directions. The Pianta looked offended and walked with a faster gait past Waluigi. "Hey! I need some help, here!"

"Grrr..." Waluigi growled. He jumped when a padded hand tapped his shoulder. He found a Tanooki standing right by him, wearing a straw head and carrying his child on his shoulders.

The Tanooki waved his arms in wide arcs. "What do you need help with? I'm acquainted with this place, Mister Long-Gangly-Legged Fellow."

Waluigi looked taken aback for a moment, talking to this raccoon-like person. "Err... I want to know how to get to the Shine Gate."

"The Shine Gate? Oh, that's easy. Just head up right along this path and take a left at the end. You'll see it when you get there." answered the Tanooki. "Good luck, whatever you're doing."

"Err, thanks," Waluigi said. He certainly didn't thank anyone very much. The Tanooki gave him a jolly wave as he departed.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 8th (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"Well, so much for doubling our efforts..." Boo muttered, pulling out the clue and reading it. "Roadblock. Who's ready to stand up to the sun?"

Boo and Dry Bones looked at each other. They both knew that they both hated daylight. "I... suppose I-I can do it."

Boo looked surprised. Dry Bones rarely volunteered for anything. Boo complied, and handed over the clue to him. "Good luck. And don't get lost."

Dry Bones nodded, clattering his teeth. "I'll d-do my best."

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. - Father / Son : Currently in 9th (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"Roadblock," said Bowser, reading off the clue. "Who's ready to stand up to the sun?"

"Wanna do this one, Junior?" Bowser asked his son, turning around to face him. Bowser Jr. nodded.

"Yeah," Bowser Jr. said. "After that mess-up you made earlier, I'm not letting you make another mistake..." He whispered to himself that last part, so that Bowser couldn't hear.

"Well... good luck, boy." He handed him the clue.

"I won't need it," Junior said, trotting off into the crowd. "I just hope no one recognizes me as the culprit for their graffiti earlier ago."

* * *

Pianta Village was sitting quietly on a rock surrounded by cliff faces. Three gargantuan trees were sprouting from the edges of the rock, with an even bigger on in the very center of the village. Tall mushrooms could be seen scattered all over the village, where some villagers and tourists were ambling around, marveling at the historical sights. And all around the city in the abyss that lurked around them were some even more mushrooms, whose size could rival that of the trees on the isolated civilization. There were buildings made out of wood and a rickety bridge that led to a platform where a red pipe lay. And out of that pipe jumped out two people : a man in red, and a man in green.

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 1st (Pianta Village, Village Entrance)**

"Wowee!" was all Luigi could say as the two brothers leaped out of the red pipe. The two looked around their new surroundings. The sun was shining brightly above them, but there were a few patches here and there where a large leaf would filter out the sunlight.

"It feels like it's been so long..." Mario said, looking up at the sky. "I remember there were a few wind spirits here, right on that bridge. They would pummel you whenever you took a step."

"That sounds horrible!" agreed Luigi, who had already stepped on the bridge. An eerie sound began to whistle through the air. "Yikes!"

"Eh, it's fine. I'm sure they got rid of the spirits somehow; it'd be a pain for the tourists if not," Mario reasoned, joining Luigi on the rickety bridge.

Not feeling very reassured, Luigi followed his footsteps, staring determinedly ahead of him. "So, uh, where are we heading? The spa?"

"Yep. If I remember correctly, take any of the three paths here and you'll reach the spa... which just so happens to be in the very back of the village."

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : Currently in 2nd (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate)**

Diddy used the parasols as a pseudo-trampoline to reach the ledge. Once there, he was harnessed by straps and began to climb the gate. Not feeling the least bit of strain on him, he climbed to the top at an alarming speed.

Seven minutes later, Diddy received the next clue from the Pianta. Dixie squealed in delight and ran down from the platform to wrap her arms around his neck lovingly as he read the clue.

"That was a piece of cake," said Diddy, patting Dixie's hands. "Make your way to Pianta Village. Let's go, Dixie."

Dixie shouldered her backpack, and trotted along after Diddy. "Oh, I'm so proud of you, Diddy!" Diddy grinned, and the dating couple plunged into the red pipe.

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 3rd (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate)**

"Well now, that wasn't too bad," Yoshi admitted, giving Birdo a slight smile as the Pianta unbuckled the straps around his waist. "I'm glad to have found the Shine Gate so quick, at any rate."

"You were amazing!" Birdo exclaimed happily. "There are only two teams ahead of us." Birdo pointed over to Peach, Toad, Wario, and Pianta, all of whom were watching them solemnly as they chatted.

Yoshi looked appalled. "Really? That's a bit surprising, considering how we only got on the second flight."

"Mhm. Things aren't determined by their first showing, that's what I say. Anyways, the next clue says that we have to make our way to Pianta Village." said Birdo, opening up the clue. "Any idea how to get there, honey?"

"According to the map, the pipe leading to Pianta Village is simply a few feet away from us," Yoshi told her, pointing to the red pipe nearby.

* * *

**Daisy (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"Ugh, this is taking forever..." moaned Daisy. She looked up in the sky, where she could see the top of the Shine Gate peeking over a rooftop. "I can see it now, so I must be getting closer..."

"Gosh, I hope we're not falling behind because of me..."

* * *

**Toadette (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Front)**

Toadette somehow found herself in front of the Shine Gate, much to her surprise. Even though Toadette had to walk for the most part, she had made it sooner than Daisy.

"I should have brought a map, but it doesn't really matter, now that I'm here..." Toadette said, looking up at the looming yet radiant structure. "Even my knee is feeling a little better! I just hope I can endure the climbing of the Shine Gate..."

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : Currently in 10th (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"Darn, it looks like we're one of the last teams to arrive..." Petey Piranha said, taking out the clue and slashing it open with a jagged leaf. "Who's ready to stand up to the sun?"

King Boo raised his eyebrows. "I am definitely not doing this task, sorry, Petey. I can't even stand the sun as it is now."

And that statement was quite true. King Boo looked even paler than usual, and his crown was at such a deceptive angle that it gave the impression it was going to fall off of his head. King Boo's eyes were reduced to small dots, and he had an unpleasant frown on his face.

"I suppose I'll do it, then," Petey decided without much hesitation. "Oh... climb the Shine Gate. That sounds... difficult."

"It's the perfect time to start exercising now, Petey," said King Boo, wiping his forehead. His voice didn't have that sardonic tone as it usually did, in fact, he sounded quite relieved. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you," Petey said, stuffing the clue into a back pocket. "And just for the record, I can still fit into my undergarments just fine, even after eight years."

* * *

**Waluigi & Wario – Brothers : Currently in 4th (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

Following the directions the Tanooki gave him, Waluigi found the way to the Shine Gate effortlessly. His long limbs allowed Waluigi to clamber up the Shine Gate with minimal effort, where he met a smirking Wario waiting for him at the top.

"Hah! Easy as pie," Waluigi stated, giving Wario a sly smile. The Pianta unharnessed him from the wires and lines, handing them the next clue.

"Good job, we're in fourth, I bet," explained Wario. "There's ample time to catch up to the rest... but those two couples are still ahead of us."

"Meh, I'm not surprised by who's left..." Waluigi said, chuckling as he opening the clue. "Next up, Pianta Village."

"And, the way over there is over there... Let's go!"

* * *

**Peach / Toad / Pianta / Boo / Bowser / King Boo (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"Oh dear... there goes another team," Peach said worriedly, watching Wario and Waluigi jump down the red pipe.

Toad shook his head. "This isn't turning out too well... And I just realized that I had a map that I could have given to Toadette..."

"Ooh, you're right. I mean, I've been here before, but I don't think I'd know all the roads here and tell Daisy exactly how to get here... but I do have the general gist of it, from my last visit."

"The sun is awfully bright up here," muttered King Boo, trying to shield his eyes from the light emitting from the great Shine Sprite directly beneath them.

"The way the sun shines so bright here is something scandalous, in my opinion," agreed Boo, nodding.

"Well, I know for sure that my son is going to be the next one up here; you can count on it!" Bowser proclaimed nonchalantly. Everyone ignored him, causing his head to droop with disappointment.

"Yep..." said Pianta, looking down over their platform. "This is some view..."

"Hey, isn't there a team still missing here?" asked Toad, looking around the group.

"Hm... I think so... but who could it be?" Peach wondered.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Currently in Last (Delfino Plaza, West Square, Grand Pianta Statue)**

"Well, well, honey, it looks like things are really starting to heat up!" Goomba said. "I'm afraid that we seem to be in last place..."

"It's only the first roadblock, dear," reasoned Koopa, taking out a clue envelope and reading it aloud. "Roadblock! Who's ready to stand up to the sun?"

"The sun, eh? I don't reckon I'll be able to reach that high, since I have the movement of a Cheep-Cheep floundering on a sandy shore..." Goomba said, his eyes gazing far off into the distance. "If that made any sense at all..."

"Alrighty then. It's up to me, I suppose?" Koopa asked, stowing away the clue into her beige-colored purse. Goomba gave his consent. Koopa took a glance at the rest of the clue. "Hm... Climb the Shine Gate... Can't say I've ever done that before!"

"Splendid! Here's a map, Koopa-bun!" laughed Goomba happily, giving Koopa the map he picked up at the information desk in the airport. "It's been a while since we've been in Isle Delfino, so I picked this up in case you forgot."

"Oh, no, I remember the path to there perfectly! Just walk straight up from here," Koopa assured him. Goomba gave her a quizzical look. Koopa giggled. "Well then, I'm off!"

* * *

**Noki (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"Hmm... there's the Shine Gate," noticed Noki, who saw the great Shine Gate at a far-off distance. "I must be heading in the right direction..."

* * *

**Dry Bones (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate)**

Dry Bones traveled on the same route as Diddy did; a straight path from a sign that read, "SHINE GATE PATH". Within a matter of minutes, Dry Bones reached the front of the gate.

"I-I'm here..." said Dry Bones, talking to no one in particular. "W-Wow... That looks r-really … high..."

Dry Bones climbed up a steep slope to the back of the Shine Gate, where he saw a few Piantas waiting for him.

"Oh, good. I don't think anyone else has been here yet..."

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 1st (Pianta Village, Spa)**

The spa at the village was clearly a popular place, both for the locals and tourists. Aside from the steaming hot pool that laid before a great Pianta Statue, a group of dancing Piantas were waiting for them there, along with the aforementioned locals and visitors. The boys could hear the uplifting melody before they arrived, and hastily ran over to reach their destination.

"There's the clue box, bro!" Luigi pointed out to Mario, aiming his finger at the clue box sitting right next to the bust of the Pianta.

"Good job, Luigi! Mama mia, a Detour!" exclaimed Mario. "Shroom Spray or Chain Train..."

_A Detour is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. In this Detour, players must choose between Shroom Spray or Chain Train, both of which involve some of the eccentricities of Pianta Village. In Shroom Spray, players must equip themselves with a broom and bucket and search for three mushrooms that have graffiti on them. Once they find one, they must use the broom and bucket to clean off all of the grime ailing the mushroom. Players must go back to the spa and refill their bucket with water if they happen to run out. Once they have completed cleansing three mushrooms from the putrid goo, they will receive their next clue from the mayor of Pianta Village, who can be found on a Golden Mushroom near the center of the village. Teams with good endurance will excel in this challenge, as they will have to carry much weight on their backs throughout this detour. In Chain Train, players must make their way to the entrance of the village, where they will find a Pianta lady with a gabble of Chain Chomplets. Once there, the team must claim one Chain Chomplet and teach them three tricks, any three tricks at all, before they will ask the Pianta lady to confirm their tricks and receive their next clue. Teams that are good with animals or have done some tutoring work in the past may find themselves finishing this challenge in a matter of minutes, but the Chain Chomplets aren't exactly endearing, either._

"Hm... I think we should go for Shroom Spray," Mario said. Luigi gave out an audible sigh of relief. Mario knew Luigi wouldn't fancy to work with Chain Chomplets.

"I'm all for it on that one, bro."

They smiled at each other. "Okay then, let's grab a bucket and broom from the Pianta." decided Mario, calling out towards a nearby janitor.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 5th (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

Boo was slightly startled when he saw Dry Bones' head peek out from the edge of the ledge. Nevertheless, he quickly floated down to meet him. Dry Bones looked relieved to see Boo.

"Oh, B-Boo, you're h-here," Dry Bones gasped, as the Pianta unbuckled the straps around his waist. "S-Sorry for t-taking so long..."

"You still made it up here earlier than some of the others, that's something to be proud of," stated Boo as he read the clue given to him.

"Make your way to Pianta Village," Boo read aloud. "Well, judging from the fact that everyone else ahead of us jumped into that red pipe after they finished the Roadblock, I'm guessing that leads to Pianta Village."

Dry Bones hastily put on his backpack while Boo floated over towards the pipe, trying to catch up with him. The two roommates left a disgruntled group of people staring at their backs as they plunged into the red pipe.

**Toadette (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Back)**

"That really took a while..." said Toadette, having made it to the Shine Gate after what seemed to be like hours. "Now here comes the hard part..."

The Pianta patted Toadette on the back and told her that she could start. Feeling slightly apprehensive, Toadette reached for the first foothold. She made it onto the first one without much effort.

"Well! This actually seems like it could be pretty easy!" Toadette laughed, the pain of her knee disappearing.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : Currently in 6th (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

In ten minutes, Toadette found herself at the top of the Shine Gate, where she met a relieved Toad and gratefully accepted the next clue from the Pianta.

"I knew you could do it, Toadette! Sorry I forgot to give you a map earlier..." Toad said happily. "Is your foot alright?"

"Oh, it's nothing," she shrugged, "Although those streets did confuse me a bit... So far, it seems to me that this has been nothing but an a-maze-ing race, what with all of those turns and all that..."

Toad pointed to the clue impatiently. Toadette rolled her eyes, and read, "Make your way to Pianta Village."

"That's good news," Toad said with a chuckle of his own. Toadette raised an eyebrow. "Because the pipe leading to the village is right there!" he added in explanation, pointing over to the red pipe Toadette hadn't noticed up until now.

"That makes things a whole lot easier..." Toadette agreed. "I wouldn't want to have to navigate through these streets once more..."

* * *

**Bowser Jr. (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"Argh, I'm LOST!" Bowser Jr. shouted, attracting a few stares from the people in the pavilion he was in. A Pianta mother quickly clutched her daughter and ran away from Bowser Jr., which didn't help his attitude the least bit. "Why, why, oh WHY do I have to be lost... At a time like this..."

"There has to be a map somewhere..."

**Petey Piranha (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"I... I think I see the Shine Gate..." Petey panted, relieved to see that the Shine Gate was only a few blocks or so away, after treading through the streets for thirty minutes or so. "King Boo wasn't kidding when he said I needed to exercise... and boy, do I need it..."

"The architecture here is amazing, however..."

* * *

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : Currently in 7th (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"Ugh, so we really did drop after all..." groaned Daisy, after she had finally reached the Shine Gate. She climbed the gate in merely five minutes, being rather acquainted with scaling cliff faces after sneaking out of her castle multiple times. "And the challenge itself took only five minutes..."

"Oh, don't be so disappointed," Peach consoled. "You did fine. We're still in the front of the pack, if I believe correctly. Or at least, we're still ahead of the people from the third flight."

Daisy said an emotionless "Thanks" to the Pianta as she snatched their next clue. "Make your way to Pianta Village. Any idea on how to get there, Peach?"

Peach clapped her hands once. "Oh, yes. The other teams simply jumped into that red pipe there."

Daisy was re-energized at once. Peach looked slightly startled when Daisy said, "Awright! Come on, Peach, I think we'll be able to catch up!"

"Where did that come from?" Peach said to herself.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Pianta Village, Spa Entrance)**

"Okay, now that we've all geared up, it's time to find those mushrooms!" Luigi said, ready for the challenge. Which was a bit of a rare occurrence, to be contrite. "But... where could they be?"

"Probably those tall mushrooms that look like they're on fire, Luigi." suggested a jovial Mario, pointing over at a mushroom nearby, whose cap indeed looked as if were on fire. The mushroom did not disintegrate in the least, despite the flame burning atop its cap.

"I've experienced goo like that before; it can burn anything it touches, however, I think it can only burn human or rather... Pianta flesh." Mario explained to Luigi. Luigi's eager look was replaced by a look of sheer horror.

"D-Did you have to tell me that, bro?" said Luigi hesitantly, looking at the broom he was holding in his hands.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : Currently in 2nd (Pianta Village, Spa)**

"Oh, I thought I saw a glimpse of red and green..." said Dixie, looking startled. "Maybe it was Mario and Luigi."

"Maybe. Look, there's the next clue." Diddy said, grabbing Dixie's hand and running towards the clue box amidst the dancing crowd.

"Detour. Shroom Spray or Chain Train," read Dixie. "Training a Chain Chomplet? That sounds a bit difficult..."

"We've dealt with harsher things in the past," Diddy told her. "Come on, I think we should do Chain Train."

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"I think we've found our first mushroom," Luigi said, pointing over to the mushroom that had its cap lit that they saw earlier.

"Good job, Luigi. Now we just have to scrub it off."

The two brothers finished wiping away the grime from the mushroom within a few minutes. They had used about a third of their bucket.

"That wasn't too bad..." Mario said. "Although I did find it easier to use with a nozzle and water tank."

~ Mario & Luigi : 1 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"Me, I've tackled stains like these in our bathroom at home, but none of them burned as hotly as these..." admitted Luigi, sponging their dirty broom in the bucket.

Mario rubbed his mustache. "Time to find the next mushroom! It's a shame that the other one at the end of this bridge here doesn't have goop on it."

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 3rd (Pianta Village, Spa)**

"I sure hope we're in the lead, here," Birdo said anxiously, while Yoshi took out the clue and opened it.

"Detour. Shroom Spray or Chain Train? What awkward names for a challenge." said Yoshi, slightly befuddled.

"Hm, I'm not very good with animals, I hate to say," Birdo said. "Maybe the cleaning task is better for us."

"Okay then. I'm not much of a fan of Chain Chomps myself, but there was this one pup, Poochy, that was especially friendly to me and the other Yoshis..." said Yoshi.

"So, Shroom Spray it is!" Yoshi concluded. The two reptiles walked over to a Pianta that had a broom and bucket near him, waving.

* * *

**Noki (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Front)**

"I'm finally here... That was a bit too long for my liking," muttered Noki, speculating the steep slope she was supposed to climb to reach the back of the Shine Gate. "Is there any other way to get up there?"

She looked at the parasols scattered all over the balcony. "Nope... someone would need to do some crazy acrobatics if they wanted to get up there... Might as well just climb..."

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Pianta Village, Streets)**

The two brothers found their next mushroom behind a pile of crates on the eastern side of the village. Luigi eagerly pointed out an entire field of tiny straw mushrooms.

"Good job, bro! Looks like we've found our next mushroom." said Mario, looking at the large array of mycelium in the area.

They walked over to a mushroom in the very center of the field, where one particularly small mushroom had a small flame protruding off of the top.

"And... there! All done," Luigi declared happily, after wiping the tiny mushroom clean of its infliction.

~ Mario & Luigi : 2 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"One more to go!" said Mario. "This is certainly much better than cleaning an inferno without a water nozzle."

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating (Pianta Village Entrance)**

The dating couple found a Pianta lady wearing some black-rimmed glasses standing at the entrance of the village, accompanied by eleven Chain Chomplets, all of which were bound to one wooden peg. None of the Chain Chomplets looked happy to be bound together. The Pianta lady shared their expression of irateness when they approached.

"So... I'm assuming you two are part of the Amazing Race, eh?" the Pianta lady asked. Without waiting for a response, she continued, "No matter. Any visitor is welcome to meet my darlings; no one visits them regularly anyways."

"Well then, pick a Chomplet. And don't you dare hurt its feelings in any way, or else I'll have your tails bound together on the same peg as my pets, and you surely, certainly won't enjoy that." said the Pianta, a vindictive smile on her face, as if she were challenging them to dare to even try make the Chomplets even remotely discontent.

Diddy and Dixie chose a Chomplet that looked a bit more tame than the others; how they could tell, neither of them knew. The Pianta lady yanked off the chain of the Chomplet, and with surprisingly little effort, she tied up their chosen Chain Chomplet onto another peg a few yards away.

"Very well, you may start."

"Er, okay..." Diddy started hesitantly, "Roll... Roll over." The Chomplet didn't move, and merely barked. Dixie shrank back in fright.

"This is going to take a while..."

* * *

**Pianta / King Boo / Bowser / Goomba (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"Well, things are certainly looking rather dismal now," King Boo said, crouching over the edge of the platform to see if anyone has arrived after taking a glance at the other people remaining. "Oh look, here comes the shell girl..."

Everyone turned to see Noki start to slowly climb up the wall. Bowser groaned. "Where are you, Junior?"

"He's probably lost somewhere in the streets, even though he ran through these alleyways endless times from Mario while holding some sort of item..." smirked Boo. Bowser didn't hear him, and no one questioned how Boo knew this.

"My, my, why don't we just enjoy the view while we're waiting here?" suggested Goomba, tipping his hat merrily and smiling at the sullen group. "It's not everyday you get to be on top of the Shine Gate, after all."

"Yeah, it's great. Especially for someone that has acrophobia, like me," King Boo muttered quietly under his breath.

"Don't they have any air conditioning up here?" Bowser asked.

"You can withstand bathing in boiling tubs of lava; I can't imagine why you're scared of the heat," Boo piped up again. This time, Bowser heard him. Boo quickly turned away.

Goomba watched the trio fight each other verbally, a frown on his face. He turned to Pianta. "Well, I dare say, it's good that at least one of us will be able to get out of here soon, eh?"

Pianta said nothing. He merely looked down at his partner, watching her struggle to reach the next threshold.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"That's it. Three contaminated mushrooms, sparkly clean!" Luigi said happily, as he finished wiping off a smudge of goo off of a tall yet thin mushroom.

"Good job, Luigi," complimented Mario, taking note of Luigi's splendid cleaning work. Luigi chuckled.

"I never knew my housekeeping... err... plumbing skills would come in handy on a game show," Luigi commented, planting his hands firmly on his hips as he examined the mushroom.

~ Mario & Luigi : 3 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed – TASK COMPLETE ~

"Now all we have to do is find the Golden Mushroom the mayor of the village is on, right?" asked Luigi. Mario nodded.

"The Golden Mushroom is on the highest set of wooden blocks; we should be able to see it from here," Mario told him. The two immediately found the mushroom, as it was glinting and sparkling in the sunlight, almost blending in with the hue of the sun itself.

"Off we go!" Mario exclaimed, waving his broom in the air. What they didn't notice as they walked toward the mushroom was that a small, flying chicken was flying directly overhead of it, flapping its wings in a devious manner.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"I believe I see our first mushroom," Birdo announced.

Yoshi turned his head around immediately. "Where?"

Birdo pointed to the set of mushrooms sitting atop a grassy hill near the pond. One of them, the one in the center, had its cap lit."Right up there."

"It... it looks like it's burning!" gasped Yoshi in shock.

Birdo shrugged. "That may be so, but the mushroom itself isn't on fire, only the cap is." she noticed.

"I guess we should head over there before someone else claims it, huh?" Yoshi said, looking anxiously at the mushroom.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 4th (Pianta Village, Spa)**

"There's the clue," Wario grumbled, jogging over there as fast as his stubby little legs would take him. Waluigi was already there, unsurprisingly. He tapped his foot until Wario caught up with him.

"Detour. Shroom Spray or Chain Train," read Waluigi. "What stupid names. Which one should we do, Wario?"

"Hmm..." Wario contemplated, his grubby fingers on his chin in thought. "Chain Train. Carrying a bucket of water and broom would be too troublesome. We'd have to run all over the village."

"Alright..." Waluigi mumbled, stowing away the clue. Wario wasn't satisfied by this response.

"What d'you mean, 'Alright...'?" asked Wario, nudging him in the shoulder. Waluigi looked at him in disgust.

"I just don't like Chain Chomps, that's all."

"They're feeble compared to us," Wario said, folding his arms. "Or me, at least. Come on, you shouldn't be scared of things like that anymore."

"I'm not scared, idiot!"

"Let's do it, then."

"I never disagreed with you in the first place..." Waluigi groaned.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Pianta Village, Mayor's Mushroom)**

"Hello, mayor!" Luigi called out, as the two reached the platform of the golden mushroom. There was no response. Doing two jumps that were certainly worthy of the name of the Mario brothers, they landed on top of the golden cap.

"...Mayor?" Luigi asked hesitantly. He looked down, and gasped. He quickly poked Mario's shoulder, who turned to face him and asked, "What?". Mario looked down, and he gasped as well.

The area the mayor was supposed to be was covered by a glop of brown, putrid goo. In the very middle of the goo creating some small ripples was a small sapling. "Mama mia, what happened to the mayor?!"

"He's stuck in the mud! Or goop. We have to wash it all off to free him," Mario hastily said, wiping the mushroom cap and wringing out the excess goop in a bucket.

"Mama mia... I never knew goop could be so dangerous," said Luigi, bending down to help Mario. While he was scrubbing, Luigi suddenly stumbled and fell headfirst into the goop. Mario gave out a shout when Luigi sank deeper and deeper, until only the green cap remained.

"Oh, Luigi..." Mario said, laughing, as he wiped away the area Luigi fell into. Luigi sprang up and in doing so, splattered the goop everywhere.

"Mama mia..." said Luigi.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"Roll over..." Diddy said tiredly, as the Chain Chomplet ran in circles around the peg. The dating couple have spent twenty minutes trying to teach their Chain Chomplet its first trick, to no avail. The Chain Chomplet would just not listen, and instead liked to run amok.

"Gosh, this thing isn't listening to us at all! Even the Kritters were more tame than this..." said Dixie exasperatedly.

"Maybe if we use a different approach... It'll listen..." Diddy suggested, yawning.

* * *

**Petey Piranha (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Back)**

Petey made it to the Shine Gate not long after Noki started her climb. Feeling relieved that there was another team still here but also a bit panicky at how they might be last as well as the upcoming struggle of climbing the wall, Petey walked over to the nearby Pianta.

"Hello, I would like to err... Climb this wall," Petey said hesitantly. The Pianta bound a few straps around his waist and told him he could climb. "Here I go..."

Petey found it less difficult than he imagined. The holds had slight indents in them, so that the players' hands could get a firm grip on it, and in Petey's case, the sharp edges of his leaves. It helped lock his arms in place as he hoisted himself up to the next foothold. However, his speed was still rather slow, with Noki almost finishing as Petey reached the halfway point.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Currently in 8th (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"That was really bothersome," complained Noki, as she took the clue and Pianta patted her gently on the back. "I'm never going to try mountain climbing again, even though Noki Bay is littered with tourist spots of them..."

"Anyways, the clue says we should make our way to Pianta Village," Noki said. She turned to face Pianta. "You do know how to get to Pianta Village, right?"

"That I do," Pianta responded. "The pipe leading to the village is right there." He pointed at the red pipe.

Noki was caught off-guard by this response. "Oh, right! How silly of me. Well, that makes things a lot easier."

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : Currently in 9th (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"Thank you," Petey said, as the Pianta handed him the professors' next clue. "Make your way to Pianta Village."

"Well, off to the red pipe. After all, this is what all of the teams ahead of us did..." said King Boo, floating over to the red pipe. Petey followed. "Let's try and hurry, shall we?"

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 1st (Pianta Village, Mayor's Mushroom)**

"Oh, thank you so very much for saving me from that horrendous substance!" exclaimed the mayor of Pianta Village jovially, handing the boys their well-deserved clue. "Here you are!"

"Ya-hoo!" Mario shouted into the air. "Oh wait; we have to return our brooms and buckets."

"I'll get rid of them!" Luigi decided. Then, with surprising strength, especially from Luigi, he hurled all of the items into the air clumsily, where it was seen landing in the very middle of the spa. They could hear the splash and some surprised shouts all the way from the mushroom. "Eh."

"Woops." Mario furrowed his eyebrows at him and opened up the clue. "Make your way to the Pit Stop."

Players must now make their way to Ricco Harbor. Isle Delfino's biggest port-city, with its exotic Blooper rides and the Ricco Tower, it is here that will be the first pit stop of the race. Once there, they must find the docks and board the ship called the S.S. Delfino, where they will have to jump from a series of moving planks that will connect them to the upper part of the harbor. Teams will need to find the heliport located east of the market, where they will find the pit stop. The last team here may be eliminated.

"The pit stop, eh?" Luigi said, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "We're close to the finish, bro!"

* * *

**Koopa (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"Oh dear, I think I may be lost..." Koopa whispered hesitantly, looking from side to side with a questioning expression on her face. "The Shine Gate should be that-a-way..."

Koopa trotted along the path at a slow and steady gait, not having the least idea of where she was going.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"There's our next mushroom!" Birdo said happily, spotting a goo-covered mushroom near the fringes of the village. "Be careful though, it's quite close to the edge..."

"I've got it," Yoshi stated, rushing over with a towel ready in his hand. He proceeded to wipe the mushroom at a fast and frenzied pace.

~ Yoshi & Birdo : 2 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"Wonderful!" Birdo exclaimed.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"Honestly, that took long enough," said Dixie, after finally teaching the Chain Chomplet to sit when told. Dixie managed to have a bit more control over the Chain Chomplet than Diddy, probably by her calmer demeanor and attitude towards it.

~ Diddy & Dixie : 1 Out of 3 Tricks Completed ~

"At least we're making some progress..." Diddy muttered. "And lookie here, there's another team coming towards us..."

"Who is it?" Dixie inquired, looking up as she was waving a keychain in front of the Chain Chomplet's face.

"I think... it's the Wario brothers," Diddy said hesitantly, squinting to see the smudge of yellow and purple in the far-off distance.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 5th (Pianta Village, Spa)**

"Detour!" Boo read, opening up the clue with his fingerless hands. "Shroom Spray or Chain Train. Which one do you think sounds better, Dry Bones?"

"U-Um, w-whichever one you'd p-prefer, B-Boo..." said Dry Bones, looking up.

"Well, personally, I think that Shroom Spray would be the better choice; I'm not too used to taking care of brutes like Chain Chomplets." stated Boo.

"M-Me neither. W-Well, I guess we're d-doing Shroom S-Spray then..."

**Toad & Toadette / Peach & Daisy : Currently in 6th (Pianta Village, Spa)**

By chance, the two best friend teams found themselves running together towards the spa. Without speaking much this time, other than a few hasty greetings, the two teams dashed towards the clue box as fast as they could once they entered the spa.

"Ah!" Toadette exclaimed, reaching the clue box first. She waited for her partner to arrive before opening it and reading it. "Detour; Shroom Spray or Chain Train!"

"What's a detour?" Toad asked. Toadette handed him the clue. Peach and Daisy had just arrived on the scene.

"Whew..." said Daisy. "Detour. Shroom Spray, or Chain Train. Another task already. Which one do you think we should do, Peach?"

"Hm, Shroom Spray sounds like the better choice for us, I think," Peach said after a moment of thought. "Plus I'm a bit hesitant about teaching a Chain Chomplet tricks..."

"Oh, let's do Chain Train, Toad!" exclaimed Toadette excitedly. "I've never trained a Chain Chomplet before, I heard that they can be quite tame if you have patience with them..."

"I bet..." Toad said before being dragged along by Toadette along the path that led out of the spa. Peach and Daisy stayed behind to pick up their mops and bucket.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"There are those two ditzy apes... Come on, let's pick a Chomp and get this over with," muttered Wario as they reached the training site.

The Pianta lady wearing spectacles gave the two brothers a thorough look before saying, "Pick a Chain Chomplet... just don't rouse them, please."

"Sure, whatever," Waluigi answered, shrugging. He pointed to a rather active Chain Chomplet that kept bumping into its siblings whenever it barked. The Pianta lady untied the chain tying the Chain Chomplet to the pole and brought it over to the one next to Diddy & Dixie's.

"Okay, let's teach this thing three tricks," Wario said decisively, rolling back his sleeve and balling his fist as he approached the somewhat bewildered Chain Chomplet.

**Diddy & Dixie (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"Yeah, it's really them..." Diddy said. "Let's hurry, Dixie."

"I am, don't worry," Dixie told him, waving the keychain in front of the Chain Chomplet. It seemed to have lost attention though, and turned around to bark at a passing butterfly..

"Really!" Dixie humphed.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 1st (Delfino Plaza, Blue-Coin Hut)**

"If I recall correctly, there should be a piece of graffiti on the side of this hut that leads to Ricco Harbor," said Mario, pointing over to a hut over on the edge of a wooden pier.

When the two brothers reached the familiar hut, it seems that their first instinct was wrong. Instead of the usual luminescent 'M' graffiti imprinted on the side of the hut as it was during Mario's first visit there, there was a sign that replaced it now.

"...'NOTICE : RICCO HARBOR CAN NOW ONLY BE ACCESSED BY FERRY'..." Luigi read, while Mario looked dumbfounded. "I'm guessing that that portal is gone?"

Mario shook his head. "Er, yes. I suppose we have to find a ferry now..." Luigi chuckled.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"This darn mud just won't come off!" said Birdo angrily, as she pressed down on the mushroom with her towel, trying to rid it of its filth. The two reptiles have found their third mushroom, it seems on the opposite ledge of a fruit tree.

"Here, let's use some more water..." suggested Yoshi. He handed her the bucket of water, which only had a few droplets left.

"Oh, that helped a lot," Birdo stated. "I didn't realize that my towel was so dry."

~ Yoshi & Birdo : 3 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"Now we just have to get the clue from the mayor!" Yoshi told her.

**Boo & Dry Bones (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"That takes care of things," Boo said as he finished wiping a mushroom, backing up to admire his handiwork.

~ Boo & Dry Bones : 1 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"You know, I think we might be able to catch up yet," Boo contemplated, eyeing Dry Bones as he timidly squeezed his towel into a water-filled bucket.

**Peach & Daisy (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"Mushroom top, mushroom cap, let's give it a clap, yes – Oh!" Daisy hummed to herself, as the two princesses found their first mushroom perched atop a ledge overlooking the abyss around the village. Its top was flaming red.

"How lovely... you hardly see any mushrooms as large as these as home; but nothing can top Little Fungitown's gargantuan fungi." Peach said happily.

* * *

**Bowser / Goomba (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"Any sevens?" Goomba exclaimed, putting down a card onto a makeshift table in their observation deck. To pass the time, Goomba whipped out some playing cards and decided to play some Go Fish with Bowser there.

Bowser merely grumbled and handed over a card over to him in response. "I'm being creamed here," Bowser thought. Goomba chuckled as he looked at his hand. "Junior, why aren't you here yet?"

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 2nd (Pianta Village, Mayor's Mushroom)**

"Thank you, sir," Birdo said to the mayor as she received a golden clue from him. Yoshi looked down all around him, marveling at how sturdy and tall the mushrooms grew here. "Dear, come here."

Yoshi walked over to her. Birdo read, "Make your way to the pit stop. In Ricco Harbor!"

"That sounds nice," said Birdo wistfully. "Certainly much better than washing mushrooms all day!"

"That's a given," Yoshi said, laughing.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Currently in 8th (Pianta Village, Spa)**

"What a shell shock!" Noki ejaculated as she and Pianta reached the clue box. Slightly disgruntled, she pulled out one of the clues. "There aren't many left... I'm sure we must be second to last right now!"

Pianta stared at her with a solid stolidity. He said to her, "...Don't be so negative."

Noki ignored him, or at least, didn't hear him as she read the clue aloud, "Detour. Shroom Spray or Chain Train. Those are some bizarre names for challenges."

"So, which one would you like to do?" Noki asked him.

Pianta waited for a few moments before answering. "Shroom Spray."

"Right. Exactly what I was thinking too, since this is your hometown and all that; this challenge would be a piece of cake since you know the layout of the village so well," blurted Noki.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Pianta Village Entrance)**

Blasting past the others in the Chain Chomplet challenge, the two Toads, or rather, Toadette, managed to complete the Detour in less than ten minutes.

"Oh, wow, this isn't as hard as I thought it would be!" Toadette said happily as the Chain Chomplet in front of her rolled over twice, jumped once, and to end it all back-flipped in the air. The Pianta lady looked reluctantly impressed by the performance.

~ Toad & Toadette : 3 Out of 3 Tricks Completed ~

"You actually thought it was hard?" asked Toad incredulously. He thought that Toadette never took things very seriously, even if they were unbelievably difficult. But then again, Toadette did have that quality about her that made those difficult things look easy.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi / Diddy & Dixie (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"Are you serious? They're done already?" Dixie said, turning to face Diddy.

"Bah! That Toad girl just got an easy Chomplet," Waluigi tried to say as an excuse.

"Either way, they've gotten ahead of us," Diddy said, frowning. "Still, at least it's only one team though, right?"

* * *

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : Currently in 3rd (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"Thanks!" said Toadette, when the Pianta lady handed over the clue to her. "Make your way to the pit stop, in Ricco Harbor! Looks like we're almost done!"

"It's just the beginning," Toad stated, hoisting their bags over his back. "But more importantly, how did you get such good control over that Chain Chomplet?"

Toadette looked rather flattered. "I've worked with animals in the past."

"Yeah, but..."

"Come on, let's go!" Toadette pulled him by the hand as she jumped into the red pipe.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : Currently in 9th (Pianta Village, Spa)**

"Whew. We certainly are behind," King Boo said as he took out a clue. "Not many clues left in the clue box either."

"Anyways, Detour! Shroom Spray or Chain Train... These sound rather unorthodox," he muttered, handing the clue over to Petey.

"I think we should do Shroom Spray, what about you?" Petey said with some uncertainty.

"Yes, I think so too that Shroom Spray is altogether the better choice," agreed King Boo. "Training Chain Chomplets is no easy task, I've heard. And I can't imagine why."

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers (Delfino Plaza Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"Hello, we'd like two tickets for the next ferry to Ricco Harbor," Mario inquested of the Pianta sitting behind the counter. Luigi was peering at a vase filled with some rather vibrant orchids.

The Pianta tapped at a few keys on the laptop in front of her. Some whirring sounds were emitted before she handed them two sparkling tickets that read, 'DELFINO FERRIES – RICCO HARBOR TICKET NO. 358323'.

"There you are," the Pianta said. "That will be twenty coins, please. The ferry will arrive in ten minutes." The brothers handed him twenty coins, leaving a good sum of one-hundred and sixty coins left in their bags.

"I guess all we have to do now is wait," Luigi said. "Looks like we're in a pretty good position, eh, bro?"

Mario smiled.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"There! All three mushrooms, wiped clean," Boo said graciously. Dry Bones peered down at the one they just washed. They could see their reflections in it.

~ Boo & Dry Bones : 3 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"It wasn't r-really that h-hard to find the m-mushrooms after all," said Dry Bones enthusiastically. "Once you g-get the h-hang of looking f-for obscure c-clusters, it g-gets much easier."

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 4th (Pianta Village, Mayor's Mushroom)**

"Thank you, good sir," Boo said to the mayor. Slicing open the clue, he read right there, "Make your way to the pit stop."

"The p-pit stop?"

"It's a stopping point in the middle of a race; it signifies the end of this first leg," explained Boo. Dry Bones nodded in understanding.

"So where is it?" Dry Bones asked.

"It's in Ricco Harbor. Time's a wasting; let's go, shall we?" Boo suggested.

"W-Wow. We m-might b-be in the lead!" Dry Bones dreamed.

"I kind of doubt it... but hey, anything could happen."

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"Really... this darn Chomplet just won't listen!" Dixie said exasperatedly, clenching her fists in frustration. Diddy put a consoling hand on her shoulder. "I got it to listen once before, I should've been able to do it again!"

"Here, let me try. We'll make it through this, don't worry." Diddy said. Dixie gave him a tearful glare.

**Wario & Waluigi (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"Finally! Stupid mutt..." Wario grumbled as their Chain Chomp sat down obeyingly.

~ Wario & Waluigi : 1 Out of 3 Tricks Completed ~

"Now for two more... Any ideas for a trick, Waluigi?" asked Wario to his brother.

Waluigi looked at him as if he were daft. "...Roll over? Jump? Fetch? Play dead, for crying out loud!"

"That's what exactly I want to teach this Chomplet right now..." Wario said. Waluigi could guess which trick he wanted.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Delfino Plaza Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"We would like two tickets on the earliest ferry to Ricco Harbor, please!" Birdo said politely. The Pianta nodded and with a few whirrs and clicks, he handed the couple their tickets.

"We're in good shape!" Yoshi said happily, peering down at Birdo, who was counting their coins. Noticing a flash of red and green in the distance, he continued, "Eh? Aren't those the Mario brothers?"

"...Looks like they finished the challenge before we did..." said Birdo absentmindedly.

"Still, it's a relief to see that we're not behind anyone," Yoshi said, laughing.

* * *

**Koopa (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate)**

"Honestly... That took quite long enough!" said Koopa angrily as she climbed a steep slope that led to the back of the Shine Gate. However, her high heels for the trip are hardly suitable for this easier climbing challenge, that she fell and landed at the bottom on her... well, bottom.

"Goodness!" she exclaimed.

* * *

**Koopa (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate)**

"There... I must've been dense to not have noticed the stairs there," Koopa said, noticing a hidden flight of stairs that were well camouflaged behind the slope. Each of the steps were covered with a layer of damp moss. Without further ado, she climbed up.

"There we are... I assume I have to climb this wall, now?" Koopa asked the Pianta once she reached the landing. The Pianta nodded.

"Here I go!" Koopa said cheerfully. She began climbing step by step.

"Dear me, I hope we're not in last..."

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Delfino Plaza Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"Two tickets to Ricco Harbor, please. The earliest ones, if you will!" said Toadette hurriedly to the Pianta.

"There's a ferry that leaves at 7:15," said the Pianta, looking over the computer screen.

"Do you have any earlier trips?" Toad asked.

"Um, yes, the 6:45. That's going to be boarding in about two minutes," the Pianta replied.

"T-Two minutes? Will we make it on time?" Toadette asked her partner. Toad shrugged. "Then two tickets on that one, please."

"A-Are you sure, Toadette?" Toad asked her incredulously.

"Yes, I am. Now let's hurry!"

* * *

Delfino Ferries – 6:45 P.M.

The two pairs of red and green walked up the ramp onto the ferry, handing the conductor their tickets as they got on.

"Looks like we're off to Ricco Harbor!" Luigi shouted exuberantly, immediately running over to the side of the deck.

"Ooh, I feel all queasy..." said Luigi, as soon as he lurched over the rails to take a closer look at the clear water around them.

"We're not even moving yet," Birdo said, rolling her eyes.

"Anyways, looks like we're the only teams that made it on, correct?" Yoshi asked Mario, who was standing next to him.

"I think so..." Mario said hesitantly. He jumped when someone tapped him on his shoulder.

He saw Toad and Toadette smiling happily at him. "Hi guys!" greeted Toadette enthusiastically.

Mario looked somewhat surprised. "Er, hi, Toadette. And hi, Toad."

Yoshi gave him a questioning look. Before they had a chance to say anything, however, a large, ringing bell sounded. "ALL ABOARD!" shouted the conductor.

"I'm so glad we made it," said Toadette happily.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"Look! There's one!" Daisy yelled out, pointing over to a cluster of mushrooms lying on the edge of a field.

"Oh, goody," said Peach.

"Okay... Just another few wipes there..." Daisy mumbled. "There! Sparkling clean!"

~ Peach & Daisy : 2 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"Just one more, then?" Peach asked her partner, wringing out their mops.

"Yep; we're almost there."

**Noki & Pianta (Pianta Village, Streets)**

The two friends, while experienced of their current location, found themselves struggling to find a graffiti-covered mushroom.

"Argh! I can't find any dirty mushrooms at all!" Noki said in frustration.

"...Maybe the others already took them all?" suggested Pianta. "The obvious ones, I mean."

"That just makes things a whole lot harder for us..." Noki muttered under her breath. "I mean, we're already in the back of the pack, and now there's this! It's so … aggravating."

"You don't need to grovel any more; there's one right now."

"WHAT?!" Noki exclaimed. She looked at where Pianta was pointing. "Oh gosh, oh gosh, Pianta, you're a lifesaver!"

~ Noki & Pianta : 1 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"...We still need two more though... This is so stupid..." Noki said, realizing the fact after she had cleaned the mushroom of all of its filth.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"Altogether now..."

King Boo was focusing on getting rid of this one, small smudge on the mushroom that they were cleaning. This particular smudge, however, was near impossible to remove.

"Petey! A little more water, please," the Boo of royalty asked. Petey acquiesced and handed him the bucket.

"Ah... Ha!" King Boo said, standing back.

~ Petey Piranha & King Boo : 1 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"This isn't too bad..." Petey thought, wiping his forehead with a leaf.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : Currently in 5th (Pianta Village Entrance)**

The dating couple, after spending near an hour at their detour, finally managed to teach their Chomplet its last trick (Talk, oddly enough), and received their next clue graciously from the Pianta lady.

"Oh, my, gosh! That took just forever!" Dixie said, handing the clue over to Diddy. "I'm really impressed with how you handled the Chomplet though, Diddy. You didn't work so well with him at the beginning."

"He softened up to me, I guess," Diddy said. "Giving it the keychain worked good enough. Anyways, make your way to the Pit Stop! In Ricco Harbor."

"Hooray! We're almost through. Hopefully we didn't drop too much," Dixie said happily. "But let's stop by the souvenir shop after we check-in, alright? You have to get me another keychain."

Both of them laughed.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Pianta Village Entrance)**

"Y-You've got to be kidding me..." Waluigi stuttered incredulously. "Those two managed to teach the Chomplets two tricks in ten minutes!"

"Hey! We've gotten two tricks taught already, don't complain," said Wario menacingly.

"Yeah, by sheer intimidation... Still, whatever works..."

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones (Delfino Plaza Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"Hello. We'd like two tickets to Ricco Harbor, please," said Boo. Dry Bones was standing next to him quietly, fiddling with the straps of their bags.

"Sure. Will the 7:15 ferry suit you?" inquired the Pianta, tapping away at her keyboard.

"Is that the earliest one?" Boo asked. The Pianta nodded. "Then that's fine."

"Okay... here you go!" The Pianta handed them their tickets. "Enjoy your trip, and thanks for riding Delfino ferries."

Boo handed him the coins. Dry Bones looked up, and blurted out suddenly, "T-Thank you!"

The Pianta smiled at him. Boo stuffed the tickets to a back pocket, and shouldered his bag. "Let's go wait then, shall we? We still have twenty minutes on our hands, after all."

* * *

**Koopa (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"That climb sure was a doozy... But luckily I was quite the mountaineer when I was young," Koopa said, patting her face as the workers unstrapped the buckles around her waist.

"And feisty!" shouted a voice. Koopa turned around, startled. Goomba was spotted running towards Koopa. "You did great, Koopa!"

"Why, thank you!" Koopa said, as Goomba handed back her beige purse. "It was rather enjoyable."

"Is that a clue for us?" Goomba asked as a Pianta pressed a yellow ticket onto him. "Oh, it looks like it is!"

"Whew... I certainly don't have the same amount of stamina I had..." said Koopa. "So where are we going next, hubby?"

"...Pianta Village! Glorious!" Goomba said happily. "I've heard that they made great smoothies."

"Funny, I think I've heard of that too! But let's not dilly-dally; after all, we're still in a race!" Koopa reminded him.

"Indeed, that is true. You did great, dear." Goomba said, nodding.

And so, the elderly couple jumped down the red warp pipe, leaving a disgruntled figure behind.

* * *

**Bowser (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"Junior... Where are you, for crying out loud?" Bowser grumbled, folding his arms.

Bowser : The time it took for Junior to get here, it was just frustrating. I felt like I could burn a whole castle down, that was how fast my patience was running low.

* * *

**Bowser Jr. (Delfino Plaza, Streets)**

"I've been wandering around for hours now... I'm totally lost," said Bowser Jr., who was still loitering around the streets, looking like some strange delinquent. "And no one's willing to help me..."

He sighed. "...Oh, why didn't we get a map...?"

* * *

Ricco Harbor was a rather extravagant place. All of its streets and piers were polished until they gleamed, and it had a nice breeze flowing through it consistently each day, which had a salty sort of scent; the kind of scent that reminded you of the sea, of course. There were two wooden piers and a deck leading off of the side of the main entrance, where there were a few crates and storage houses. Leading up from a metallic ramp was a large ship, the S.S. Delfino.

**Mario & Luigi / Yoshi & Birdo / Toad & Toadette (Ricco Harbor Port Entrance), 7:00 P.M.**

The three teams zoomed out of the ferry as soon as they arrived, with the Mario Bros. in front, best friends Toad & Toadette not far behind them, and jogging at a moderate pace were the engaged couple, Yoshi & Birdo.

"We're here! And wow, everything's so shiny," Luigi noticed, looking around in awe.

"And here's the S.S. Delfino," Mario pointed out. Toad and Toadette had just caught up with them.

"Hi, guys!" Toadette said again. "Ooh, is this the boat that we need to climb on? It looks like a cruise liner!"

"I wouldn't mind staying on that thing for the night," confessed Toad, shrugging.

"Why don't you two go first? After all, you did get here before us," Toadette said, pushing Luigi forward a bit.

"What're we doing again?" Luigi said, confused.

"Platforming, of course," Yoshi and Birdo had arrived on the scene as well. "It's a platforming challenge." Yoshi repeated.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi (Ricco Harbor, S.S. Delfino)**

"Eh, here's where the bars are..." Luigi pointed out, looking at the construction bars that were moving back and forth in a recurring rhythm. "I'm guessing we're supposed to jump onto them from one to the next?"

"Yep! But don't you think that this will be a piece of pasta?" said Mario, shrugging his shoulders.

Mario leaped onto the bar nimbly with that familiar 'Boing' sound that seems to mysteriously pop up whenever he jumps. Truly a trademark jump of his, but none that his brother, Luigi, can't outperform. Hurried by his older brother, Luigi took a hesitant step towards the edge of the ship deck before performing a scrabbling jump towards the bar. After a moment of brief suspense, Luigi exhaled deeply as he saw that he made it safely.

The two still had a few more bars after that though, but it took only a few minutes for them to reach the upper part of the harbor. They were the Mario Brothers, after all.

"Wee! Thanks the for the entourage, guys!" Mario shouted out to the other two teams waiting on the deck of the ship. "We'll see you at the finish line, yep!"

"I'm glad that we got that over with... Where's the heliport?" asked Luigi, wiping his forehead with the brim of his cap.

Mario directed a finger over somewhere to the east. The heliport was plainly visible in the bright sunlight. "We're almost there!" he said. "Come on, bro, let's go!"

* * *

**Delfino Ferries – 7:15 P.M.**

Boo & Dry Bones are the only team on the second ferry to Ricco Harbor. Feeling both a sense of dread and hope, the two departed the ship slowly as it docked onto the pier. Boo unfurled the clue once they reached the S.S. Delfino.

"Okay, looks like we have to jump on these bars..." explained Boo, gesturing to the iron bars rotating ahead of them. "There are an awfully large amount of physical tasks..."

"I-I guess so," Dry Bones sighed. "S-Still, w-we have to complete this... the f-finish is j-just ahead..."

Boo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Very well then, let us jump..."

* * *

**????? (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

The heliport seemed as if it were in a beacon of light as two figures stood in the center of it, waiting on a pad with a colorful depiction of Isle Delfino printed on it. Rosetta blinked a few times as she squinted to get a better look at the oncoming team. Once she saw their clothes clearly, she smiled and stood back a bit to let them on.

An exuberant Mario & Luigi leaped onto the mat simultaneously.

"Welcome to Ricco Harbor!" exclaimed the Pianta standing next to Rosetta. Mario recognized him at once; it was the captain of the harbor, wearing a pair of sunglasses and his trademark captain's cap. "Oh, if it isn't Mario!"

"Hello, captain!" Mario greeted. Luigi gave a slightly puzzled look, but nevertheless turned to look at Rosetta.

"Hiya, you two! Mario & Luigi... you're team number ONE!" Rosetta exclaimed, extending her arms and waving them in the air with the air of someone trying to suppress their enthusiasm.

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : 1st Place, 7:36 P.M.**

Luigi looked ecstatic. Turning to face his brother, Luigi gave him a choking hug. Mario struggled a bit before getting out, and with an expression of happiness that matched the one on Luigi's, he asked, "That's amazing. First out of eleven teams."

Rosetta paused them for a moment. "Yes, well, that's not all of it. As the winners of this leg of the race, you two have won a paid-trip to the Beanbean Kingdom, where you will experience an all-kingdom tour, tasting the fermented cola of the Chucklehuck Woods, visit ancient relics in Teehee Valley, climb the astonishing Hoohoo Mountains, and other locales."

"Really?! Wow... That's..." stuttered Luigi, his eyes opened wide in surprise.

"Amazing?" Rosetta said with a chuckle. "How amazed were you two at getting first?"

"Toad & Toadette and Yoshi & Birdo were polite enough to let us go ahead though, so we're indebted to them, in a way, for this spot." Mario stated.

"Yeah, we wouldn't have gotten first probably if that hadn't happened," Luigi explained. "Or maybe we still would've... But oh, I'm getting way in over my head."

"Still, it's nice to get first on the leg. Let's hope we'll do just as well as the subsequent ones!" said Mario happily.

"Oh, believe me. We're just getting started!" Rosetta exclaimed, beaming.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : Currently in 6th (Pianta Village, Mayor's Mushroom)**

"Thank you, mayor!" Peach said, as the grateful mayor handed her the team's next clue.

"Glad we got that over with..." Daisy mumbled, pulling out her parasol so that she could float gently down from the mushroom.

"Me too. Here, the clue says... Make your way to the Pit Stop," read Peach, pulling out her own parasol as well as she did so. "Whew, we're almost there."

* * *

**Noki & Pianta (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"There's our last mushroom... Hooray..." Noki said, stomping unhappily towards a mushroom by a set of swings with its cap aflame.

"Hand me the towel," commanded Noki. Pianta pulled a towel out of a bucket and gave it to her. She began scrubbing.

"And... voila." Noki walked back a few steps to examine her handiwork.

~ Noki & Pianta : 3 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

Pianta looked at Noki, his eyebrows raised. Noki waved her hand impatiently, and said, "Come on, let's go find the mayor..."

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Currently in 7th (Pianta Village, Mayor's Mushroom)**

"Thank you very much, sir," Petey said as he tore open the clue given to him by the mayor. King Boo leaned over to look.

"Make your way to Pianta Village," he read. Turning to face his crowned partner, he inquired, "Back to the entrance?"

King Boo looked satisfied. He replied, "I believe so."

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Currently in 10th (Pianta Village, Spa)**

"Detour! Chain Train or Shroom Spray, eh?" Goomba said, a spark in his eyes. "Which one do you think we should do, dear?"

"I'm fine with either. But I suggest Shroom Spray. Chomplet Training just isn't my forte." Koopa suggested energetically, swinging her purse around.

"Shroom Spray it is, then!" Goomba declared to the camera.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Delfino Plaza Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"Hiya! We'd like tickets for the next available ferry," Diddy told the Pianta.

"Here you are; the next trip will occur at 7:45. Thank you for choosing Delfino Ferries," replied the Pianta mechanically.

"It's not like we had much of a choice," Dixie murmured.

"Well, we still have fifteen minutes. Why don't we wait?" Diddy suggested, looking over at some seats.

* * *

**????? (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

Another team waltzed onto the mat, looking cheerful and happy.

"Welcome to Ricco Harbor!" the Captain exclaimed.

"Thanks!"

"Toad & Toadette..." Rosetta paused. "Congrats, you're the second team to arrive!"

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : 2nd Place, 8:05 P.M.**

"That's great!" said Toadette with a beaming smile, mirroring that of Rosetta's.

"Yeah..." Toad murmured. "Second, whew!"

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 8th (Pianta Village, Entrance)**

"There! That Chomplet can roll over, sit, and fetch. You happy now?" Waluigi said, spitting in the Pianta lady's face. Trying to control her anger, the lady handed the brothers their next clue.

"Finally! That was seriously rigged." Wario grumbled. "Make your way to the Pit Stop."

"Yeah, no more stupid tasks," muttered Waluigi, picking up his bags.

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Currently in 9th (Pianta Village, Mayor's Mushroom)**

"Thanks... Make your way to the Pit Stop," said Noki with a tired expression. "Back to the plaza we go..."

Pianta patted her gently. "We're almost there. Don't give up."

"I just hope that we aren't in last... we've done so badly..." Noki complained.

"Don't compare it to anything just yet," Pianta replied with a solemn face.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy / Petey Piranha & King Boo (Delfino Plaza Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"Oh, hello, King Boo, Petey," Peach greeted as the two professors walked over to them.

Daisy repeated her request. "Yes, we'd like two tickets on the earliest, please. 7:45? That's fine, but... No? Okay then."

"Wait, add two more," Peach said. Petey Piranha and King Boo looked grateful as they stopped behind the counter. "Thanks!"

King Boo said to her imperiously, "Thank you, Princess Peach."

Peach smiled. Daisy threw her an affronting look. "Look, now it's my turn to demonstrate a good trick; be friendly." Daisy rolled her eyes but nodded. "Better to make friends than enemies."

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

The engaged couple held each others' hands as they jumped onto the mat.

"Welcome to Ricco Harbor!" said the Captain.

"Thanks!" Yoshi replied.

"Yes, thank you." said Birdo.

"Yoshi & Birdo... You're the third team to arrive!"

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : 3rd Place, 8:13 P.M.**

"We're in the Top Three... That's what I call an accomplishment, for us, at least," Birdo said while whistling a cheerful tune.

"Yeah, it's certainly a relief we're in the front of the pack," said Yoshi, twiddling his thumbs. "It's a great start."

* * *

**Bowser Jr. (Delfino Plaza, Shine Gate Top)**

"Junior! Where HAVE YOU BEEN?" Bowser roared, absolutely furious for the amount of time Bowser Jr. took to simply reach the Shine Gate. "We've been here for HOURS!"

Bowser Jr. flinched as the Pianta took off his straps. With a defiant look on his face, the little tyke replied, "You would've gotten lost too! You're even more of an oaf than I am!"

Bowser's eyes widened. With a furious snort, he picked up his son, snatched the clue from the Pianta, and without even bothering to open it, he jumped down the red pipe. The Piantas looked slightly confused.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Pianta Village, Streets)**

"Why, look, dear, there's another one!" Koopa exclaimed, swinging her purse at a mushroom lingering on the edge of a cliff.

"No wonder no one chose to clean this one... It's so close to the edge..." Goomba muttered, taking out a cloth.

After a few minutes, the two finished scrubbing their third and final mushroom. The elderly couple managed to complete the task with relative ease; mushrooms seemed to pop out at them when they needed them.

~ Goomba & Koopa : 3 Out of 3 Mushrooms Completed ~

"That was certainly quick," Goomba said.

"Well, when you're a Koopa, you're naturally Quick!" said Koopa, laughing.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

The two roommates looked eager as they stepped onto the mat, staring somewhat blankly at Rosetta. Rosetta giggled as she saw this sight.

"Hi! Boo & Dry Bones... You're team number four!" exclaimed Rosetta.

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : 4th Place, 8:28 P.M.**

"I-Is it really?" Dry Bones asked, shocked. He shook his head as if he couldn't believe that it was true. Rosetta gave him a sweet grin and nodded. "F-Fourth... T-That's a...amazing...!"

"Everyone has been saying that so far," Rosetta said, laughing. "That it's amazing, I mean."

"I wonder which teams are ahead of us..." wondered Boo. "Still, fourth place is a nice spot to be. Dry Bones and I have done very well so far."

* * *

Ricco Harbor – 8:00 P.M.

The three teams that made it onto the ferry are Diddy & Dixie, Peach & Daisy, and Petey Piranha & King Boo. They ran out of the ferry in that exact same order.

"Is this really a port town?" Dixie asked in wonder, looking around at the beautiful scene.

"Not really... It's a harbor, you see," Petey explained.

"It looks certainly like it could be one," said Peach.

"Hey! There's the boat! Aw, cool...!" shouted Daisy, running up the ramp that led to the S.S. Delfino.

King Boo smirked. "I bet it's a lot smaller than your personal cruiser, Princess Daisy."

Daisy ignored him. Watching Diddy and Dixie prepare to jump onto the bars, the two princesses sat on the bannisters while drinking a can of fruit juice. The two Kongs jumped onto the bars nimbly and effortlessly, much to everyone's surprise. In fact, the two seemed to get past the obstacle faster than even the Mario Brothers. Peach & Daisy felt encouraged by their performance, and lifted up the hems of their dresses to follow their footsteps.

"Okay, here we go..." Daisy said, counting down from three. "3... 2... 1... JUMP!"

The two princess made a valiant leap towards the bars, and miraculously, they made it. Unfortunately, both of them stumbled as they landed on the platform, as their high-heels caught on the holes in the bar, causing them to fall off.

"Ouch..." King Boo whispered to Petey, as two large splashes were heard.

Spluttering, Peach rose up to the surface and yelled out, "Oh, darn! What do we do now? We're soaked..."

Petey shrugged his shoulders. "I guess you just have to swim back to shore and start over again."

"Bummer..." said Daisy, a frown on her typically cheerful face.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

The two dating chimps leaped onto the mat with a furtive look on their faces, fully synchronized in their performance.

"Welcome to Ricco Harbor!" greeted the Captain.

"Thanks."

"Diddy & Dixie... You're the fifth team to arrive!" Rosetta proclaimed.

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : 5th Place, 8:35 P.M.**

"Fifth... That's not bad at all, considering how bad we did when teaching those Chain Chomplets," Diddy reasoned.

Dixie looked satisfied. "I'm fine with this placing... We're still in the upper pack, at least!"

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi / Noki & Pianta (Delfino Plaza Ferry Services Information Desk)**

Because the two teams finished their Detour at approximately the same time, they weren't surprised to meet each other at the information desk at the Plaza Hall.

Waluigi scoffed when he saw the two co-workers walk up to them. Wario turned around, and asked in a gruff voice, "Two tickets to the next ferry to Ricco Harbor."

"Okay... the next ferry will arrive at 8:15. Here are your tickets..." the Pianta said somewhat distractedly. Wario took the tickets while the Pianta turned to face the next customer.

"Let me guess – You also want tickets to the next ferry? That's the only thing we have anyways..." said the Pianta, tapping in some information on the keyboard before handing them their tickets. "That will be twenty coins, please."

"Well! Let's hope we're not in last," Pianta remarked hopefully, while Noki handed the Pianta the coins.

Noki snapped her coin purse and stowed it into her pocket before saying, "We're not. There's still the old couple behind us, I'm sure of it. And it'd be unlikely for them to overtake us..."

Pianta shook his head. "You never know."

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa – Currently in 10th (Pianta Village, Mayor's Mushroom)**

"Thank you, mayor!" said Koopa politely as the elderly duo were handed their next clue.

"Make your way... To the Pit Stop!" Koopa exclaimed. "Oh, it's in Ricco Harbor!"

"Ricco Harbor, eh? We'd better get a move on!" said Goomba, snatching his bags.

"Oh, I'm sure we're doing well," said Koopa, regaining her usual chipper demeanor. "Time to find a ferry!"

* * *

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. (Pianta Village, Spa)**

"We are so in dead last... It's not even funny," Bowser Jr. muttered, taking out the clue from the clue box. Bowser stayed silent. "This has to happen on the first leg..."

"Okay, Detour. Shroom Spray or Chain Train?" said Bowser Jr., looking up at his father to see what he would choose.

"Chain Train, Junior. Let's just get this over with..." Bowser decided, slumping away.

* * *

**????? (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

Stepping up excitedly, the next team jumped onto the mat, waiting to hear Rosetta's verdict.

"Welcome to Ricco Harbor!" the Pianta Captain said to them, tipping off his hat.

"Thank you."

"Petey Piranha & King Boo... You're team number six!" announced Rosetta cheerfully.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : 6th Place, 8:43 P.M.**

"Sixth... Whew, that's better than what we could have hoped for..." sighed Petey Piranha in relief.

"Yes, there has been a few close calls today, but nothing too temperamental. It's a decent start." King Boo said.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

Knowing that the two teams ahead of them had already reached the mat, the two somewhat wet princesses stepped onto the mat, looking disgruntled but also satisfied.

"Welcome to Ricco Harbor." the Captain said in greetings.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, thanks! The harbor looks awesome at night."

"Peach & Daisy..." Rosetta paused for a brief moment in an attempt to create suspense. Unfortunately, it didn't work with these two. "You're the seventh team to arrive! And er, how did you guys get wet?"

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : 7th Place, 8:54 P.M.**

"We sorta fell into the water while jumping onto the bars," Peach explained.

"Seventh, huh? We can do better next time," Daisy said.

"Yes, I think so too, but I'm just glad we're still in this race," Peach said happily, adjusting the slopping wet crown on her head to stop it from falling.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Delfino Plaza Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"So, our ferry arrives at 8:45?" Goomba inquired of the Pianta. Upon receiving confirmation, he said, "Oh, goody. That gives us a few minutes to spare."

"My, this has certainly been quite the wild ride... Although I'd like it a bit better if there were a bit less physical tasks."

* * *

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. (Pianta Village, Entrance)**

"Sit, boy!" Bowser shouted at the Chain Chomplet. Instead of teaching the Chain Chomplet manners, the father and son are actually infuriating it. The Chomplet tried to take a bite out of Bowser Jr., who luckily leaped back in time.

"Yow! That thing tried to get a bite out of me!" grumbled Bowser Jr., rubbing his arm.

A vein pulsed in Bowser's forehead. In a surge of fury, the Koopa King blew a jet of fire at the Chomplet, not helping it in the least bit with its fury. A few shutters, shouts, and clicks were heard before the camera shut off involuntarily.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi / Noki & Pianta (Ricco Harbor, S.S. Delfino Top Deck)**

"We're going to go first," Waluigi declared obnoxiously, stepping forward and pushing ahead of Noki and tried to against Pianta.

"Oh, be my guest!" Noki humphed, stepping back. She whispered to her partner, "Honestly, I can't believe how rude these two are! At least the others seemed to be quite fine..."

The co-workers tried to stifle a laugh as they saw the two brothers plummet into the water in what they seemed to consider a 'leap', which comprised of merely jumping off the ship by a few inches. Needless to say, their splashes were larger than that of the princesses.

"Oops... I guess we'll go on ahead of you, then!" giggled Noki, walking forward happily with a grin on her face.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

Upon reaching the mat, the two co-workers gave each other a quick hug before waiting for what Rosetta had to say.

"Welcome to Ricco Harbor!"

"Thanks; it's beautiful here."

"Noki & Pianta... You're team number eight!" Rosetta told them.

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : 8th Place, 9:10 P.M.**

"Eighth place... and that's when we're in an advantageous spot too..." Noki said sadly. "I would've liked to have done better, but... I guess I should be thankful we're still in this at all."

Pianta looked at her. "We still have a lot of legs ahead of us; there's endless time to improve."

"Yeah. I suppose you're right," said Noki, looking up at Pianta and smiling. "Anyways, I do want to get some souvenirs... I don't come to Ricco Harbor very often myself."

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

Obviously grumpy, the two brothers stomped onto the mat without even so much looking at each other.

"Err... Welcome to Ricco Harbor..." the Captain said hesitantly, unsure of what to say.

Rosetta tilted her head. "Um, Wario & Waluigi? You're the ninth team to arrive."

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : 9th Place, 9:19 P.M.**

"We would've gotten eighth if we hadn't fallen..." Waluigi mumbled, folding his arms and wringing his cap.

"Yeah, we would've... If you hadn't tripped me," replied Wario, giving Waluigi an angry glare.

* * *

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. (Pianta Village, Entrance)**

"There. Three tricks. Sit, Hand, and Play Dead," Bowser told the Pianta lady, who was in a short-temper. Reluctantly, she handed the father and son their next clue.

"Make your way to the Pit Stop... In Ricco Harbor," read Bowser, Bowser Jr. standing awkwardly by his side. Without speaking a word, the two departed Pianta Village in search of their next destination.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

The elderly couple ran as fast as they could to the mat as soon as they had spotted it. With an enthusiastic jump, the two blinked as they waited for Rosetta's dialogue.

"Welcome to Ricco Harbor!" declared the Pianta Captain.

"Thank you, kind sir!"

"Yes, thank you!"

"Goomba & Koopa..." Rosetta paused. Goomba and Koopa leaned forward a bit, with hopeful looks in their eyes. "...You're team number ten. Congratulations, you two are still in the race!"

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : 10th Place, 9:49 P.M.**

"Oh, dear! We made it!" Koopa screamed, overjoyed. She threw her purse down and embraced Goomba tightly.

"Yes! We did!" Goomba said, returning the hug.

After a few moments, the two let go of each other. Charmed, Rosetta asked them, "How do you guys feel on still being on the race?"

"Ecstatic. I'm really very pleased that we're still in the race, I thought we were done for. I feel awfully sorry for the team left behind, however," Koopa said, shaking her head.

"Now, I don't want to sound too cocky here, but I actually did have a feeling we would make it..." confessed Goomba, looking proud of himself. "But yes, I am glad I am not going home tonight, but I wouldn't mind if it was with my little Koopa-bun, here!"

* * *

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. (Ricco Harbor, Heliport)**

Walking dejectedly up to the mat, the father and son team looked at Rosetta disparagingly as they arrived on the scene.

The Pianta Captain tilted his hat downwards. "Welcome to Ricco Harbor."

"...Thanks."

"Bowser & Bowser Jr... You're the last team to arrive." said Rosetta sadly.

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. – Father / Son : Last Place, 10:28 P.M.**

"...We figured." Bowser responded, after a few moments of silence.

"And I'm very sorry to say that you two have been eliminated from the race." Rosetta declared.

**Bowser & Bowser Jr. – Father / Son**

**11th Place – ELIMINATED**

"...Still... I'm proud of my son. We've done well." Bowser said.

Bowser Jr. looked up, tears in his eyes. "Junior and I... Well, there's no other father and son in the world that has the same type of bond we have." he continued.

Bowser Jr. hugged his dad quickly before saying, "Our race... may have been short, but I had a lot of fun. Spending time with my dad is something that I wish I had more of. I definitely won't forget this!"

Bowser : I don't regret joining the race with Junior, here. He's been a great partner, and I can't blame him for mistakes that I probably would've committed if I were I his position. It's been a short race for us, but I know that in the future better Koopas would get farther than us here.

Bowser Jr. : I had a lot of fun with my dad... These things happen, you know? Getting last first... Is something that I've never experienced, and I guess it's for the better that I did. I now realize how lucky I am to have a father like dad, as well as the holes in our relationship... or my navigation skills.

Rosetta wiped her eyes, asking the Captain for a handkerchief, who plucked one out of his chest pocket and handed it to her. Blowing her nose rather loudly, Rosetta nodded her head in agreement.

Walking out of the heliport, Bowser Jr. sat on his father's shoulders, leaving proudly their own impact on the race. The camera zooms out... and so, thus ends the first leg of the Amazing Race.

* * *

_Next time, on the Amazing Race._

_Teams have trouble finding directions to a map store..._

"Honestly, if we had a map from the map store, we wouldn't have asked for one in the first place..." Noki scoffed.

"We're lost! In the middle of... somewhere." complained Toad.

_...A team delves deep into the depths of dentistry..._

"Seriously? We're supposed to clean teeth?" Peach asked incredulously.

"This isn't quite what I had in mind when I meant 'deep cleaning'," said Birdo crossly.

_...And an exciting Roadblock proves to be too much for one team to handle..._

"This is too extreme for me... Oh, I can't take it..." Koopa said, swooning.

* * *

Well, that's that for the first leg! Sorry if it seemed a bit short, or a bit long. Anyhow, I know that it was rather badly written; this was the result after a few tries, and I'm satisfied with it, for now. I promise the second leg will be more entertaining!

And I really am sorry Bowser & Bowser Jr. had to be the first ones to go... I was actually quite interested in their character dynamics, but it appears that the complete opposite happened here... My apologies. I'll try to get the second leg completed sooner than four months, as with this leg, haha! But it certainly should take a shorter amount of time, since I mean for the chapters to be MUCH, MUCH shorter as well. Feel free to drop a review if you'd like, I'm not used to receiving criticism, but I'd enjoy getting any!


	3. Leg 2 : It's Big, Bad, and Orange?

_A/N : Hello, everyone! Here's another chapter, nothing much to say about it, except sorry for the long wait! It's been way too long! Sorry about that._

Champ 15 – Thanks for the review! And I think I know what you were talking about. Professor E. Gadd's Virtual Void, am I right? Unfortunately, that story was too cantankerous for me to handle. But yes, I've taken a peek at your Survivor stories, and they're good (I might say great, but I don't watch Survivor :( Some reality show fan I am). And you even started your own Amazing Race fic! Good luck with yours, your teams look interesting! ^^

The Smart One 64 – Congrats on getting an account! And thanks for the review. ^^ I thought the story itself was rather short, the text was obviously long. I dragged on a bit with some of the descriptions and didn't put enough detail into some other points of the story, such as how they traveled from place to place, as well as having their challenges be rather... well, stationary.

**Chapter 2, Leg 2 : It's Big, Bad, and... Orange?**

Italicized Commentary is done by Rosetta.

**

* * *

**

**Team Select**

Mario & Luigi – Brothers

Toad & Toadette – Best Friends

Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged

Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates

Diddy & Dixie – Dating

Petey Piranha & King Boo - Friends

Peach & Daisy – Best Friends

Noki & Pianta - Friends

Wario & Waluigi – Brothers

Goomba & Koopa – Married

_Bowser & Bowser Jr. - Father/Son_ - Eliminated Leg 1

* * *

_Previously, on the Amazing Race..._

_Eleven teams of two rushed out of Princess Peach's Castle to head into a journey that will take them around the world._

"To Isle Delfino!" Toadette and Daisy shouted in unison.

_At their first destination of Isle Delfino, some of the teams felt bewildered by the breathtaking sights..._

"The architecture here is amazing, however," Petey Piranha said.

_…While some were aggravated by the difficulty of their first Roadblock._

"Argh, I'm LOST!" Bowser Jr. shouted.

_And at Pianta Village, a few teams faltered at their Detour..._

"I never disagreed with you in the first place..." Waluigi groaned.

"This darn mud just won't come off!" said Birdo angrily.

_In the end, the famous Mario brothers claimed first..._

"Really? Wow... That's..." stuttered Luigi.

_...Leaving father and son Bowser & Bowser Jr. trailing behind..._

"...We figured." Bowser responded, after a few moments of silence.

Bowser Jr. looked up, tears in his eyes. "Junior and I... Well, there's no other father and son in the world that has the same type of bond we have." he continued.

_...Ending up in eleventh place._

_Ten teams remain. Who will be eliminated... next?

* * *

_

_"Here at Ricco Harbor, the gleaming port of Isle Delfino, which is known for its bustling marketplace and beautiful cargo ships, along with the Ricco Tower, was the first pit stop in a race around the world._

_Teams had to take a mandatory rest period to sleep, eat, and socialize with the other teams. After an exciting first leg, the teams are ready to take off for their next destination._

_Brothers Mario & Luigi, who arrived first at 7:36 P.M._

_…Will depart, at 7:36 A.M."_

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : 1st To Depart, 7:36 A.M. (Ricco Harbor Heliport)**

Mario and Luigi were wearing their traditional overalls and gloves, which were their typical adventuring outfits. The only difference in their clothing was that Luigi was wearing a pair of plain white socks instead of his usual striped ones.

"Wahoo!" Mario exclaimed, cheerfully opening the clue in their hands as soon as the clock ticked 7:36.

Luigi : Getting first in the first leg... It sounds like a dream! I'm not very used to getting first place in anything, but doing this with my brother... It pushes me to try even harder, and look at the result! It shows that even I don't drag my brother down in times of need.

"Make your way to... Plack Beach!" read Mario, a bewildered look on his face.

Teams must head on over to Plack Beach via a plane from the Delfino International Airport, located in the southern part of the Mushroom Kingdom and famous for its teeth-shaped outcroppings of rock jutting out on the shorelines. Once there, players will then have to travel three miles on foot to the Sea Pipe Statue, where they will find their next clue.

"... And... You have sixty-seven coins for this leg of the race!" finished Mario happily. Luigi carefully counted the coins before stowing them away inside their red and green backpacks.

"Off we go!" Mario exclaimed, motioning his brother to come over.

"Coming! We're... going back to the Delfino Airstrip, right?" Luigi asked, running to catch up with him.

"Yep! Let's find a ferry."

* * *

**Mario & Luigi (Ricco Harbor Ferry Services Information Desk)**

The two brothers approached the stall housing the Ricco Harbor ferry service sanction, which was fortunately, open. A sign was hanging from a nail saying, "OPEN" for those that are doubtful. A sleepy-looking Pianta lady was yawning when they approached.

"Hello!" Mario greeted. "We'd like two tickets to Delfino Airstrip, please." Luigi nodded his head vigorously beside him.

"Mmm... Sure. Just a sec," said the Pianta lady, gazing at them drowsily before tapping in some numbers into her keyboard. After a few seconds, she handed the two their tickets. "Here you are."

"Thanks! Hm... It looks like our ferry doesn't leave until 8:35... Looks like we have some time on our hands, Luigi," Mario told his brother. "Why don't we look around?"

"Oh! That's good. I hope we can get a lot of souvenirs!" replied Luigi excitedly.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : 2nd To Depart, 8:05 A.M. (Ricco Harbor Heliport)**

Toadette was wearing a hand-knit scarf around her neck, decorated with pink spots. She had on a slim pink jacket along with a pair of matching earmuffs around her head. Toad wore a similar jacket that was in a shade of navy blue, and a dark pair of gloves, rubbing his hands together so that he could keep himself warm. Despite Isle Delfino's perpetual heat in the day, today, in the morning it was especially cold.

"Make your way to Plack Beach!" Toadette read, as Toad stared ahead and rubbed his arms. "That sounds fun!"

Toad merely shivered. Frowning, Toadette poked him hard in the ribs, causing Toad to jump and yelp. Giving Toadette an annoyed look, he said, "I was paying attention!"

"Well, you didn't look like it," replied Toadette with a grin. "Come on, we have to go to the airport!"

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : 3rd To Depart, 8:13 A.M. (Ricco Harbor Heliport)**

Yoshi and Birdo each had a long-sleeved shirt and jeans on them. Yoshi's was pink while Birdo's was green. Looking fondly at each other, Yoshi slit open the clue with a steady hand.

"Make your way to Plack Beach," read Yoshi, staring at the clue in confusion.

Yoshi turned to face his partner. He asked Birdo, "Plack Beach? I've never heard of it."

"Oh, I don't know much about it either," Birdo admitted. "All I know is that it's somewhat of a swamp and that many vivid dyes can be made there. The clothes that are made with those dyes are awfully expensive in the city."

"Well, I hope that it doesn't cost more than sixty-seven coins, as that's what we're given this round," Yoshi said.

This time, Birdo was the one that looked baffled. "Hm? I thought those coins were added to our total, dear."

"They are?" Yoshi said, surprised. Birdo nodded her head. "Wow, I've been wrong then."

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : 4th To Depart, 8:28 A.M. (Ricco Harbor Heliport)**

As seen during the last leg, Boo and Dry Bones did not wear any clothing, which is continued in this leg as well as the subsequent ones. However, Boo does have one article of clothing on him, and that is a pair of black spectacles resting on his face whenever he has to read something intensively.

"Well, here we go," Boo said, opening the yellow envelope. Dry Bones looked as nervous as ever while he waited for Boo to read.

"Make your way to Plack Beach," declared Boo, once he unfurled the clue. "Plack Beach? Where could that be? I don't believe that I've heard anything about it at all."

"...I-I've heard of it... Just that it has a lot of teeth..." was Dry Bones' response.

Boo arched an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"But at any rate, I'm glad that we're getting off of this island... It's much too sunny for my taste," Boo told his partner, slipping his shoulder-strap bag over an arm. "I just hope that this other beach we're going too isn't as heated as this one."

* * *

**Toad & Toadette / Yoshi & Birdo / Boo & Dry Bones (Ricco Harbor Ferry Services Information Desk)**

The next three teams arrived at the ferry counter at approximately the same time.

"This seems to be the only ferry service around," Yoshi considered.

"Hm, well, it looks like we're one of the first ones here... Aside from the Mario brothers, that is," said Boo with a rare disconsolate look on his face.

Toadette walked up to the counter. Knocking at the glass window gently and waking the Pianta up with a start, she inquired if there were any tickets for a ferry to the Delfino Airstrip. Agitated, the Pianta quickly tapped in a few numbers before handing her their tickets.

"Well, I guess that means we're all bunching up together for this leg..." Toad sighed, which was visibly seen as a puff of carbon dioxide.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, though," said Birdo, taking the tickets from the Pianta and craning her head to face the others. Stepping aside to let Dry Bones pass, Birdo continued, "We all get to mingle, and we don't have to compete for flights this way."

"That's one way of looking at it," Boo agreed. Dry Bones dropped his wallet.

"Well, our ferry leaves at 8:35!" ejaculated Toadette suddenly. "Let's hurry, everyone!"

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : 5th To Depart, 8:35 A.M. (Ricco Harbor Heliport)**

"Make your way to Plack Beach!" Dixie exclaimed as she read the clue. Dixie was wearing a collared pink-striped shirt and matching shorts; the cap on her head was replaced by a lavender colored visor, with her trademark ponytail jutting out from behind. Diddy, who was standing next to Dixie and beaming at her, wore a plaid vest, some jeans and some brand new sneakers.

"Sweet! Plack Beach! Not that I've ever heard of it..." Diddy said, his eyes shining.

"Plack? Like dental plaque?" wondered Dixie, squinting to read the next bit of the clue.

"I guess... It's a pretty odd name for a beach," Diddy admitted.

"And you have sixty-seven coins for this leg of the race," she added, putting the coins away in their backpacks.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : 6th To Depart, 8:43 A.M.**

Petey's clothes, or rather bikini, was the exact same design as before; however, the colors of his new garments are instead white with red spots. King Boo wore no clothes, however, he had a pair of spectacles just like Boo did, although King Boo had round frames, instead of rectangular.

"Make your way... To Plack Beach," Petey said.

"Hm. Plack Beach, eh? It's full of remains of teeth cavities left by giants of an early age, if I remember correctly," King Boo recalled from his studies, rubbing his chin.

King Boo : I have been doing some research before we came onto this race. To be quite honest, I am not very knowledgeable about subjects outside of my majors, such as Biology. This nitric-oxide boosted race will not only be a vacation, but also a learning experience for me.

Petey Piranha (nodding his head) : Even though we're adults, we still learn new things each day. It's certainly something to revel at, the boundless limits of knowledge!

Petey shuffled his leaves a bit. "I believe you're right. Plack Beach is known for its nutrient-filled sand, which is especially abundant with calcium, according to my vacation hotspots brochure." Petey pulled out a brochure with all sorts of vacation spots plastered over it.

King Boo took the brochure to examine it. He started to walk. "Oh? That's curious. Anyhow, we can read more about it as we go find a ferry, we shouldn't be standing here all day."

"Yep, yep," was Petey's reply.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : 7th To Depart, 8:54 A.M.**

After having experienced difficulties in running the race while in their typical flowing dresses, the two princesses opted to change into their more breathable athletic wear. Peach had her hair tied in a ponytail and wore a pink tank top with accented pink shorts. Daisy wore the same clothes albeit in a different color scheme; orange, of course. Daisy's hair was unchanged and both princesses had sneakers on instead of high-heels. Despite the chill in this morning, the best friends looked energized and raring to go.

"Oh, it feels much more comfortable to be in these clothes," Peach stated, brushing some dust off of her shorts. Daisy chuckled as she opened the clue.

"Make your way to Plack Beach!" Daisy read aloud. Daisy turned to face Peach. "I've been to Plack Beach!"

Peach widened her eyes in surprise. "Really? I've never been there myself, but I have heard of it before..."

"Yeah, well, it'd be better if you didn't. Plack Beach isn't that good of a vacation spot. All of the teeth are blocking your way."

"Well, let's put your knowledge to use; I never thought vacationing would come in handy!" said Peach breathlessly.

* * *

Delfino Ferries – 8:35 A.M.

All aboard! The first four teams to depart made it on to the first ferry. Knowing that they had fifteen minutes on their hands from the ferry they rode the day before, the players decided to go their separate ways or chat for a bit.

Mario and Luigi were chatting animatedly with a few tourists on board that had recognized them, signing autographs and the sort. Luigi looked particularly pleased, while Mario was smiling to the crowd around him.

Yoshi and Birdo were standing on the deck, gazing at the sunrise. Toad and Toadette were standing right behind them.

"This sunset... It makes me feel so at peace," said Birdo dreamily, putting her hand on her chin and leaning across the rail.

"It does," Yoshi agreed. Standing upright, the green dinosaur glanced quickly at Birdo, closing her eyes in what seemed to be a deep sleep. Reaching out toward her, Yoshi placed his arm around Birdo –

"YOU IDIOT!"

Yoshi immediately wrenched his hand back, startled. Birdo too, had stood up properly to see what was the commotion.

"Ugh, Toad, you idiot!" squealed an obviously discontent Toadette, who ran towards the railing. "You just HAD to fall into the water..."

Toad was seen spluttering as he tried to keep himself afloat among the icy cold waves splashing about him. After a quick call for help, two Pianta lifeguards swam over to Toad and brought him back up to the ferry. Toad, wrapped in a towel, was the object of a scolding Toadette.

"If you were so cold, you could have just asked me for a coat or something!" Toadette shouted angrily. "Now look at this mess you've made!"

Irked, Toad retorted, "You were the one that pushed me into the water in the first place!"

"Yes, well, you grabbed onto me and I thought you were some sort of thief or something! Naturally when someone grabs onto your waist your initial reaction is to fling yourself away from them!" Toadette said in a slightly higher voice, her cheeks reddening slightly.

Toad rolled his eyes, and turned away from Toadette. Toadette did the same. Knowing that this couldn't end well, or it has already ended badly, Yoshi and Birdo decided to walk in to alleviate the situation.

Meanwhile, Boo and Dry Bones were dozing quietly under an awning bordering the inner rooms of the ferry, oblivious to the situation around them.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie / Petey Piranha & King Boo / Peach & Daisy (Ricco Harbor Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"Looks like we just missed the ferry," said Dixie sadly. The Pianta had just told them that the ferry departed five minutes ago when they arrived. "If only we had come here sooner, we would've caught up to the other teams; now they have another lead on us."

"It's just the beginning of the race, Dixie," Diddy told her, tapping her on the nose gently with a finger. "There's still time to catch up."

"Two tickets, please," Daisy said, walking up to the counter. Petey Piranha was fingering their teams' tickets.

King Boo mumbled to himself, "So that was twenty-two coins... That leaves a hundred and twenty-five coins left. We're all set."

"So our ferry leaves at 9:05?" Peach asked Daisy.

"Yep. We have ten minutes on our hands." replied Daisy.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : 8th To Depart, 9:10 A.M.**

Noki had removed all of her sparkly stickers from her shell. Instead, she had on a picnic hat and vivid red lipstick on her lips. Carrying a basket, she truly looked as if she were heading to a picnic instead of participating in a race. Pianta was wearing a sleeveless shirt and a pair of sunglasses, what he considered to be casual wear.

"Make your way to... Plack Beach," read Noki in an unenthusiastic voice. "We're leaving Isle Delfino already? I'm not sure if I feel sorry or glad."

"But whatever we feel, we should try our best to get a bit further up in the ranks; I mean, we're starting in eighth, and that's already a big disadvantage on us," Noki continued saying. She then handed Pianta several coins.

"Sixty-seven coins..." said Pianta, after finishing his count of the plentiful gold. "It should last us for a while..."

"Let's gooooo!~" sang Noki at the top of her voice, skipping ahead towards the ferry docks.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : 9th To Depart, 9:19 A.M.**

Wario and Waluigi wore their same overalls as yesterday, but probably clean ones; each of them also had switched their long-sleeved undershirts for T-Shirts. The two also took off their gloves, which is a very rare occurrence. They left their caps on, however.

Fingering the clue impatiently, Waluigi hastily pulled it open and read its contents. "Make your way to Plack Beach."

"You've gotta be kidding me; another beach?" Wario groaned, slapping his forehead. "We did so badly on this rotten terrain, and now … This."

Waluigi twirled his spindly mustache. "Complaining isn't going to help, y'know."

"Of course I know, you twat!" spat Wario. Waluigi merely huffed and turned away.

Wario : I was still angry at Waluigi for yesterday's performance. He didn't help at all. I was doing all of the work!

"Are you going to stand there all day? We have a ferry to get." said Waluigi, ahead of Wario by a couple yards. Wario grumbled and jogged off the mesh bridge leading out of the heliport.

* * *

Delfino Airstrip – 8:50 A.M.

The first ferry had just docked onto the airstrip. Racing to the airport, the four teams quickly gathered their belongings as they headed towards the departure times in the middle of the exact same airport they were less than twenty-four hours ago.

"Let's find the earliest flight..." Toadette said sullenly to a grumbling Toad, who tied up the towel he received from the ferry around his domed head so that it resembled a turban.

"Plack Beach... Plack Beach, we have to find Plack Beach! Morley Airways... There it is! Flight 963! The only flight to Plack Beach!" Boo exclaimed, after scanning the board in haste.

"Come on, bro! Let's get to that ticket counter!" Mario called out to Luigi, who snatched their bags and ran over in great haste.

"Let's go, dear," Birdo said. "If that Morley flight is the only flight to Plack Beach, we won't need to hurry..."

Yoshi picked up his luggage, however, he shook his head. Going closer to her, he whispered into her ear, "Maybe we can find an earlier flight if we ask, surely there can't be one flight to a rather popular location a day, can there?"

"Oh! That's a good idea. Maybe we could get a layover, you mean?" Birdo asked. Yoshi nodded in agreement.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi / Toad & Toadette / Boo & Dry Bones (Morley Airways Ticketing Counter)**

A Drillbit Crab wearing glasses sat behind the counter, chewing bubble gum obnoxiously as the three teams approached. The Drillbit Crab was assuredly to be a female, as it had a large pink bow attached to the back of its shell.

"Yes? How may I help you?" asked the Drillbit Crab, blowing a bubble and popping it deftly with a sharp pincer.

"Hi, we'd like two flights to Plack Beach, please?" Toadette queried. "The earliest flight."

"Mmkay." The Drillbit Crab tapped in a few numbers. "Your flight leaves at 11:00 A.M., and will arrive at Plack Beach at 2:00 P.M."

"Thanks!" Toadette replied gratefully.

_~ Toad & Toadette - 1st on Morley Airways 963 ~_

"We'd like two tickets too," Luigi said hurriedly, rushing up to the counter. "The same as what they got."

_~ Mario & Luigi - 2nd on Morley Airways 963 ~_

"We'd also like to have two tickets, please." Boo told the Drillbit Crab, who was becoming slightly irritated by such an onslaught of requests.

_~ Boo & Dry Bones - 3rd on Morley Airways 963 ~_

"11'O Clock, huh? That's a bit of time away... And it's pretty early in the morning too..." said Boo, a frown on his face. "I wonder..."

"W-Wonder...?" Dry Bones stuttered.

"If we could have gotten an earlier flight...?" Boo finished, answering Dry Bones' question.

"I-It's too l-late for that now, I g-guess..." Dry Bones concluded.

* * *

Delfino Ferries – 9:05 A.M

Forced into becoming the middle of the pack, the next three teams to board are Diddy & Dixie, Petey Piranha & King Boo, and Peach & Daisy. Each team minded to themselves during the short trip to the Airstrip. Peach and Daisy were in the exact same positions Yoshi and Birdo were in, with Daisy leaning on the railings and Peach standing upright, her hair flowing gently in the breeze.

"Oh, this sunrise, doesn't it look lovely, Daisy?" Peach said to her partner. Daisy looked at it with little interest.

"It's nice, I have to admit. You don't often see the sun rise from the horizon of the sea all that often, but believe me, I've seen the sun longer than anyone else here, probably," Daisy replied in a nonchalant voice, accompanied by a glazed look on her face.

"I have been wondering... Is there a computer on this ferry?" King Boo whispered to Petey. Petey shrugged his shoulders.

"Why would you need a computer?" asked Petey, confused.

"To search for flights and see if we could reserve one, of course! It'll save us a lot of time, not to mention we might get a good spot," explained King Boo.

"Now that's a good idea," Petey said, but with some hesitancy in his voice. "But that would work only if there really is a computer on board, as well as being able to do it in … ten minutes or so?"

"Sir!" King Boo called at Noki attendant wearing a tuxedo and thick-rimmed glasses, not unlike his own. The two approached each other. "I was wondering if there is a computer on board, sir."

"Um... I think we do have one in the office... But that's the captain's room," replied the Noki. "I suppose I could let you two use it, until we arrive at the airstrip."

"That would be perfect. Thank you."

"Well, follow me." The Noki started to walk away. Petey and King Boo followed him.

"So, Dixie... What are you excited about the race?" Diddy asked his girlfriend, who was standing rather solemnly on the opposite deck, facing away from the sunrise.

"Me?" Dixie looked startled by the question. "I guess... I'd have to say how we will fare each day together, Diddy. Participating in the race is exciting too. What about you?"

Diddy paused to take in a big breath. He exhaled and said, "Never mind."

Dixie gave him a puzzled look. Diddy shook his head and waved his hand, turning to look behind them as they got further and further away from Ricco Harbor.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta / Wario & Waluigi (Ricco Harbor Ferry Services Information Desk)**

Not very acquainted with each other ever since the two co-workers overtook the brothers at the last second the last leg, the next two teams bought their tickets without saying a word to each other.

"Thanks! Our ferry leaves at 9:35, then? Let's think of a way we can get ahead, Pianta," Noki decided, after checking their tickets and coin pouches. She shrank away to a corner, away from Wario and Waluigi. Pianta followed her footsteps somewhat exasperatedly.

"Everything has to be private with you," Pianta said without much emotion.

"9:35... That's a while. But the good thing is that we're still ahead of the oldies. Sucks to be them." Wario said snidely. Waluigi snickered.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Delfino Ferries, Captain's Lodgings)**

"Ah...ha! It looks like we've hit gold, Petey." King Boo said after finishing their search for an earlier flight to Plack Beach.

"Oh? You found a good flight, then, I assume?" inquired Petey with interest.

"You bet. There's a flight from Easton Airways that we can connect to from Sarasaland to Plack Beach; the two locations aren't that far from each other, and it'll arrive at 1:30 P.M., thirty minutes earlier than a direct flight from Delfino Airstrip to our toothy beach." King Boo explained.

"That makes things very convenient. So it's decided that we're going to Easton Airways rather than Morley Airways, then?" asked Petey.

King Boo nodded in affirmative. The two professors smiled as they knew they had an upcoming advantage against some of the other teams.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Last To Depart, 9:49 A.M.**

The elderly couple switched their attire completely over the course of the night. Goomba wore a comfortable sweater-vest across his chest, and had a very large top hat on his head that threatened to fall off at any moment if the hat wasn't adhesive to his oiled head. Koopa had a self-knit turtleneck sweater on and sweatpants, along with an ambling cane, topped with a miniature koopa shell model.

"Here we go, dear!" Koopa exclaimed as she tore open the clue. "Make your way to... Plack Beach!"

"We're heading off to a beach this time?" asked Goomba with a jolly grin. "How nice!"

"And we have sixty-seven coins for this leg of the race!" Koopa declared after she finished reading the clue.

Koopa : Getting past the first leg was a bit of a surprise for us. I mean, who would've thought? The old, elderly couple beating two other people in the prime of their age? We may have just gotten lucky, but I'm honestly thankful to just be here right now.

Goomba : Yes, indeed. Our first goal was to pass the first leg of the race, and now that that's all done and over with; our next one is to try and win that one million coins! (laughs)

"Anyhoo, we'd better pick up our pace; we're back in the back of the pack, so we'd better hurry unless we want to be left in the other teams' dust again!" Goomba said.

* * *

Delfino Airstrip – 9:20 A.M.

The next three teams departed their ferry and rushed towards the departure times table located in the middle of the airport. Petey & King Boo waited for the other two teams to run away before they made their own move, as to avoid the attention of the others.

"Come on, Peach! We have to head over to Morley Airways!" Daisy yelled. Peach shook her head and followed her.

"Let's go, Dixie," said Diddy to his partner.

"I'm coming," Dixie replied.

After they left, the professors casually walked over to the Easton Airways Ticketing Counter.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Easton Airways Ticketing Counter)**

"Hello. We were wondering if there was a flight we could connect from here to Plack Beach?" King Boo asked the orange-spotted Toad sitting behind the desk.

"Hm, let me see," said the Toad. Petey and King Boo waited patiently for his answer. "Ah, yes. You can fly over to Sarasaland International Airport, and via a connection flight there you can head to Seaside Airport. Would you like two tickets for those flights?"

"That would be perfect." said King Boo. The Toad tapped in a few keys and handed them their tickets.

"There you are. Your flight leaves at 10:35 A.M. Thanks for flying at Easton Airways today." replied the Toad.

_~ Petey Piranha & King Boo : 1st on Easton Airways Flight 762 ~_

"I hope we're making the right choice..." Petey said worriedly.

King Boo put a hand on his shoulder. "Be confident. I'm sure we're going in the right path."

"I suppose so." Petey said, mollified and smiling.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Prime Flights Flight Agency)**

A Cheep-Cheep smacked her rather voluble lips a few times before shuffling some papers, peering at the two reptiles sitting in front of her under her shellfin glasses.

"Yes. Well, it sheems that there is indeed a fright you can take to Prack Beach," said the Cheep-Cheep, smacking her lips once more. "You can take a connection fright from Sarasarand to arrive at your destination one-and-a-haff hour earrier. It's at Easton Air-rways."

The couple looked delighted by this news. "Is that so? That would be very beneficial to us!" Yoshi exclaimed.

"Yes, thank you," agreed Birdo, standing up and shaking hands with the Cheep-Cheep.

"I'm happy to be of servrice to you... But of course, there is a shmall fee..." said the Cheep-Cheep, tapping at a sign next to her nameplate that read, "_Appraisals : 20 Coins. Virtual Tours : 45 Coins._"

"Oh, of course we'll pay..." said Yoshi, hurriedly taking out twenty coins and plopping it into the Cheep-Cheep's outstretched hand.

* * *

Delfino Ferries – 9:35 A.M.

"Remember, we're making a beeline straight for the airport as soon as the ferry docks at the... docks," Noki whispered to Pianta's ear. The two co-workers were sitting directly across from Wario & Waluigi in a glass room, where they could see three sides of the ship. The sun was already a good distance up into the air, beaming at the island dwellers.

"Hmph. Looks like those two are whispering again. But that'll be no matter for us..." said Wario, glaring at the whisperers.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Ricco Harbor Ferry Services Information Desk)**

"Two tickets for us, please, and thank you!" said Koopa, opening her purse to get out the coins. The Pianta exchanged her coins for two shining tickets, which Goomba took and looked at the departure time printed on them.

"Well, it looks like our ferry doesn't arrive until 10:05 A.M.!" Goomba declared as Koopa sealed her purse with a snap.

"Wonderful," said Koopa absentmindedly.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy / Diddy & Dixie (Morley Airways Ticketing Counter)**

"Two tickets to your earliest flight to Plack Beach, please!" Daisy shouted unnecessarily to the Drillbit Crab, who covered her ears at the sound of her high-pitched voice. She handed the princesses their tickets without a word.

_~ Peach & Daisy : 4th on Morley Airways 963 ~_

"And two of the same tickets as those two, please." said Dixie.

_~ Diddy & Dixie : 5th on Morley Airways 963 ~_

"We have a little over an hour before we go," Diddy said. "Let's go grab a bite."

"Fine by me!" Dixie replied.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Easton Airways Ticketing Counter)**

"I sure hope no one else found out about this flight..." Birdo said. "We could have a lead."

_~ Yoshi & Birdo : 2nd on Easton Airways Flight 762 ~_

"All the better for us if we keep our lips sealed," reasoned Yoshi, who was smiling pretty smugly as he pocketed their two tickets.

"But will we be able to?" Birdo asked him. Yoshi shrugged.

* * *

Delfino Airstrip – 9:50 A.M.

"Ruuuuunnnnn!" Noki screamed, running out of the ferry as soon as they arrived at the airstrip. Pianta was treading slowly after her, wielding both of their backpacks, panting under the weight.

"W-Wait for me..." said Pianta uselessly. Wario and Waluigi looked at each other, snickering.

A few minutes later, Pianta caught up with Noki, who was crossing her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Pianta, I told you to run for the airport as fast as you can when we arrived at the docks!" Noki scolded him. "Do you ever listen?"

Pianta stared at her in disbelief, dropping their bags. The two gave each other looks of death, while Wario and Waluigi pondered through the times on the departure board.

"Hm... It seems that we can get a direct flight from here to Plack Beach via Morley Airways... Wanna give it a shot?" Wario said to his cohort.

Waluigi twisted his mustache into an even more jagged line. "Hm... I guess so. There's no other choice, unless..."

"Unless?"

"We ask what THOSE four are doing," Waluigi finished, pointing at Petey Piranha & King Boo and Yoshi & Birdo standing a bit aways from the other teams, looking slightly nervous.

"With a bit of intimidation?" Wario asked. Waluigi nodded. "Just how I like it."

* * *

Delfino Ferries – 10:05 A.M.

"Golly gee, it looks like we're off to our next destination already!" Koopa exclaimed, looking up into the sky with hopeful eyes.

"Yes, indeed. I will miss this place, however! The air is unbelievably crisp and clean here... Not to mention the smell of oil rigs," Goomba added.

The elderly couple sighed and hugged each other, eager and nervous of what was to come.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta (Morley Airways Ticketing Counter)**

"Two tickets, please!" said Noki, avoiding Pianta's eyes.

_~ Noki & Pianta : 6th on Morley Airways 963 ~_

"Well... That settles that..." Pianta declared, wiping his brow.

**Wario & Waluigi (Easton Airways Ticketing Counter)**

"There you are, sir." Wario accepted the tickets with grubby hands.

_~ Wario & Waluigi : 3rd on Easton Airways Flight 762 ~_

"Boy, were you right on the spot," Wario said somewhat grudgingly to Waluigi, as he walked away from the Easton Airways counter with their tickets. "Those guys couldn't keep a secret if we had taped their mouths shut... That Piranha Plant creature and dinosaur spilled the beans right after we asked them if they knew anything we didn't."

"It pays listening to your incredibly intelligent brother every once in a while," Waluigi said, dodging a punch from Wario, chuckling.

* * *

Delfino Airstrip – 10:20 A.M.

"My, my, it looks like we're the last to arrive, yet again," said Koopa, looking around at the other nine teams around them. None of the other teams even noticed that they had arrived.

"According to this table with small text," Goomba started, taking out a pair of eyeglasses as he scanned the board. "There's a flight from Morley Airways that leaves at eleven A.M."

"Oh, but isn't that also a flight?" Koopa pointed out a very tiny piece of text scrolling at the bottom left corner of the board. "It says that there's a flight from Sarasaland to Plack Beach, and it leaves at 10:35 A.M.!"

"Ten thirty-five? Why, if that's true, then we'd better hurry! That'd be the flight to take!" exclaimed Goomba, picking up their bags immediately and charging off. "You sure have some sharp eyes, hon!"

Koopa laughed and trotted off after him.

**Goomba & Koopa (Easton Airways Ticketing Counter)**

"Can we make it on the flight?" Goomba inquired, looking at the Toad earnestly.

"Um, yes, you'd better hurry though. There are only five minutes left..." he replied, handing the couple their tickets.

_~ Goomba & Koopa : 4th on Easton Airways Flight 762 ~_

"Okay, I guess it's time for us to hustle!" Koopa declared, lurching forward in an attempt to make a lunge, for no apparent reason.

* * *

_Teams are now departing on one of two flights. The first flight, which carries Petey Piranha & King Boo, Yoshi & Birdo, Wario & Waluigi, and Goomba & Koopa departs at 10:35 A.M._

"...How on earth did those two make it here on time?" Birdo whispered to her fiancé, incredulous by the fact Goomba & Koopa were on the same flight with them.

"I have no idea." Yoshi replied. "But the good thing is is that the other six teams are on the other flight... At least we have a bit of a lead."

"Petey, you really have to learn how to keep your mouth closed when under pressure," King Boo told him, rolling his eyes. "But of course, Yoshi needs a bit of work on that too..."

Goomba and Koopa hugged each other once more as they took their seats. "Oh, Goomba dearie, I'm just so glad we've made it on!" Koopa said.

"Not bad. Only three other teams are with us," said Wario. "At least this shows us who we need to watch out for..."

_The second flight, which carries teams Toad & Toadette, Mario & Luigi, Boo & Dry Bones, Peach & Daisy, Diddy & Dixie, and Noki & Pianta, departs at 11:00 A.M._

_The six teams on the flight noticed something was wrong when their plane took off._

"Why... Why are there only six teams on this flight? Unless I've counted incorrectly, there's only six teams here..." Dixie said.

"Isn't this the only flight to Plack Beach?" Toadette piped up, facing Toad. "All of the teams should be on this flight if it was."

"Maybe they've missed it?" suggested Daisy, looking confused.

Peach shook her head. "That can't be. Some of the teams not on were on the same ferry with us, remember?"

"Yeah, we came in pretty late and still managed to get on!" Noki said to the others. Pianta nodded.

"Maybe they got on another flight..." Luigi muttered under his breath. Mario stared out the window and frowned.

* * *

Seaside Airport – 1:30 P.M.

Seaside Airport was a small coastline airport barely a mile away from Plack Beach. The water glistened and sparkled underneath the players as they gazed at the sun-drenched lands around them. Bubbles were gently floating past their windows, coming from an unknown source. Drillbit Crabs particularly liked to hang out around the beach, enjoying drinks, bathing in the sunlight, and somehow managing to play volleyball. Plack Beach was definitely a hot tourist spot, despite all of the cavities lying around in the sand.

Having the usual rush out of the airplane, the first four teams on the devious flight charged out of the airplane as soon as they were able to, calling for cabs to Plack Beach.

"Taxi, taxi!" yelled out Birdo, snapping her fingers authoritatively and waving her hands in the air. A taxi in the shape of a seashell stopped beside them.

"TAXIIII!" Wario bellowed obnoxiously, blasting the eardrums of those by his side. Waluigi flinched from the roar. A mushroom-shaped taxi braked to a halt before them.

"We really need to find a taxi," said Petey Piranha. "The old couple left already..." The two professors watched Goomba and Koopa go into a shell-shaped taxi excitedly.

"This puts us in fourth already," King Boo said unnecessarily. "How delightful."

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 1st (Seaside Highway)**

Yoshi and Birdo looked ecstatic as they stepped into their cab.

"Honey, we're the first ones out of the airport!" Yoshi said happily.

"We sure are. I can't believe we actually have a lead, much less in first!" said Birdo.

"Anything can happen, though. Just to be safe : Excuse me, cab driver! Can you please drive a bit faster for us? We're in a race," requested Yoshi.

"Don't let any other taxis pass by," Birdo added.

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 2nd (Seaside Highway)**

"Drat! Those two dinosaurs are ahead of us," Waluigi grumbled.

"Don't worry. Hey, driver. If you drive faster for us, we'll give you some extra coins," Wario said. The cab driver perked up at this statement, and proceeded to drive faster, eventually surpassing the seashell-shaped taxi.

"There. Now we don't have anything to worry about," said Wario smugly.

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Currently in 3rd (Seaside Highway)**

"My, this place looks rather nice, doesn't it, dear?" asked Koopa of her husband, looking out of their cab window. Over here, the sun was still rising, unlike in Isle Delfino. "The sunrise makes the sea look so calm..."

"She does, but that's only when she's in a good mood," Goomba replied. "But even when she gets feisty, I still love her so."

Koopa blinked. "... Feisty, huh? I love you too, dear."

Goomba suddenly looked hesitant. "Eh..."

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 2nd (Seaside Highway)**

"I can't believe them! They've passed us!" Birdo cried indignantly.

"The nerve of those two," said Yoshi, smacking his forehead with a groan.

**Wario & Waluigi (Plack Beach Shore)**

"Thanks. Here's your tip," said Wario, handing the cab driver three extra coins. The driver looked somewhat disgruntled before pocketing the change, driving off in a huff.

"Let's see... the clue says that the Sea Pipe Statue is three miles away from here," Waluigi explained, squinting to see far into the distance. "It's probably that gray thing out there."

"Time's a wasting; let's go," said Wario, picking up their bags and walking on the path. "We ended in ninth last leg, this time, we're heading for first."

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 1st (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

"There's the clue box... Not that it's hidden well at all," said Waluigi, taking an enclosed envelope from the encased box.

"Head over to the Tower of Yikk," Waluigi read.

Players must travel ten miles east to the Tower of Yikk, a historical building of the region that was built by the renowned inventor, Yikk, whose invention of the Boo-Ray Machine led to the discovery of transparency waves. Once there, head to the top floor to find your next clue.

"We came all the way here just to go back... What a waste of time," grumbled Wario. The two brothers went back to the brink of the path to find another taxi.

"We shouldn't have left our taxi earlier, if we had known we'd need to get another one..." Waluigi noticed, shaking his head at their actions.

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 2nd (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

Spotting Wario and Waluigi still trying to find a taxi, the engaged couple's faces gleamed with hope as they walked past them to the secluded Sea Pipe Statue.

Taking out an envelope, the couple read together, "Head over to the Tower of Yikk."

Their faces brightened as they ran as fast as they could back to their taxi, saying good-bye cheerfully to the Wario brothers as they did so.

"Looks like we're back in first!" said Yoshi with a grin.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

"Arggh! We really need to find a taxi, fast." Waluigi complained. "We should have just swiped their taxi instead of trying to call out for one..."

"Don't bother, here's one coming now," interjected Wario, pointing to a taxi coming up to them.

"But it's already occupied... by those grandparents," Waluigi grumbled. Wario lowered his finger in dismay.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Currently in 3rd (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

"Jolly good! We're doing great so far, cuddlykins!" Goomba said to his wife, taking out a clue from the box.

"Head over to the Tower of Yikk!" said Koopa, taking the clue from her husband's hands and reading it aloud.

"And back to the taxi we go...!" Koopa declared, tugging Goomba back to the path entrance as fast as her little legs would take her.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Plack Beach Shore)**

The two brothers looked from side to side shiftily before walking up to Goomba & Koopa's taxi, which was parked under a tree. The taxi driver, a Toad, was reading a magazine while waiting for his customers to come back.

"Hey." Waluigi knocked on the window. The taxi driver rolled it open and raised an eyebrow.

"We'll pay you more than those old folks did if you take us to where we want to go," mumbled Wario, taking out a handful of coins and thrusting it forward.

The taxi driver looked at the glinting coins in front of his eyes, then at Wario's face. With a firm voice, he said, "I'm sorry, sir, but I keep my commitments." With that, he shut the window, causing Wario to take his hand out from the taxi in surprise.

"Well, there goes that plan..." Waluigi grumbled, turning away from Wario.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Yikk Tower, Front Entrance)**

Birdo and Yoshi gaped up into the air after stepping out of their taxi. "That's... a tall tower."

Yikk Tower was a few miles tall, built out of rust-resistant metal plates of different colors, most of them red or yellow. It loomed over the surrounding scenery of Blubble Lake, and gave off the impression of a giant living in the vicinity. There were a few tourists outside of the tower, staring at it along with Yoshi and Birdo, snapping photos occasionally.

Shaking their heads, the engaged couple went inside of the tower and asked a nearby associate the location of the nearest elevator.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Yikk Tower, Front Entrance)**

"My! I don't think I've ever seen anything this high in my life!" exclaimed Koopa in awe when they arrived at Yikk Tower.

"Yes, it's even higher than your stack of pancakes you make on our birthdays, honey," Goomba remarked with a chuckle.

"And we have to go to the top? That will take quite a while," said Koopa unnecessarily, looking around for the nearest elevator.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 1st (Yikk Tower Skydeck)**

"What a strange room," Yoshi said, staring at the flashing walls and floor. The entire room kept flashing at what seems to be random intervals, giving a shock to everyone inside it as the floor beneath them vanished for a brief second.

"There's our clue! It's located on that veranda," Birdo pointed out. The clue box was placed rather precariously next to a telescope with a boo-shaped lens.

"Here it is; Detour! Scrub It or Screen It." read Birdo. "Are you ready to test your dexterity?"

_In this leg's Detour, players must choose between Scrub It or Screen It, both of which test your team's coordination and agility._

_In Scrub It, players must backtrack over to Plack Beach and head to the docks, where they will find a Toad diver, and receive equipment to plunge under the sea, scouting for cavities on the shallow seafloor. Once a team spots a tooth, they must uproot it from the ground using ropes they've received and bring it back to shore. They must then scrub the tooth until it is rid of all of its filth, and once they pass a proper inspection from the Toad diver, they will receive their next clue. Uprooting the tooth is a difficult task; players that are proficient in diving and swimming will find this task fall into their hands... swimmingly._

_In Screen It, players will have to head to the 31st floor of Yikk Tower where they will find Dr. Toadley, famed doctor of Toad Town, standing beside ten patients. Players will choose a patient, and under Dr. Toadley's instructions, use researcher Yikk's Boo-Ray itself to scour for hidden Boo walls inside of the patient's body. They must vaporize all five of the walls inside of the patient before they can receive their next clue from the doctor. The Boo walls will vanish a few moments after they're seen under the Boo-Ray machine and be unable to be spotted or destroyed for five minutes, so teams with keen eyesight and good reflexes will find this potentially tedious task to be a cinch!_

"Both of these options seem like they'll take a while to complete," said Yoshi with a frown. "Looks like we're in for some deep trouble."

"Deep cleaning, you mean. I think Scrub It is the better choice for us; we don't have very good reflexes," Birdo reasoned.

"We don't? Well, for Scrub It, all you'll need is endurance, I guess," thought Yoshi.

"Let's go back to Plack Beach," Birdo suggested, feeling slightly weary as she walked towards the elevator.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Plack Beach Shore)**

"Finally, a taxi!" Wario said with a huff, plunging into the cab as Waluigi sidled in with him.

"Take us to Yikk Tower, as fast as you can go," said Waluigi, tossing a coin to the driver, who went off, startling a few of the beach goers in the process.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Currently in 2nd (Yikk Tower Skydeck)**

The elderly couple took their time walking around the room, examining the plaques that held information on the tower and its creator, before heading over to the clue box.

"...And there's the clue box!" Koopa voiced happily, taking out a clue. "After that educational lesson, I don't think I'll be surprised one bit by the next clue..."

"Detour! Scrub It or Screen It!" read Koopa. "Which one do you think we should do?"

"Me? Why, Screen It, of course! Scrub It seems like it would be far too tiring of a task for us," Goomba said, picking up a brochure on 'How to Keep Your Colon Visible and Healthy'.

"Very well, it seems that we'll be doing Screen It!" Koopa said into the camera.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Plack Beach Shore)**

"Gosh, it took forever for us to find a taxi..." Petey said unhappily as he and his friend headed towards the Sea Pipe Statue after paying their fare to the taxi driver. "Usually at airports you would expect to find one easily..."

"I sincerely hope that we did not fall too far behind," King Boo wished, silently hoping that they are still in fourth.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : Currently in 4th (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

"Head over to Yikk Tower." read Petey, leafing through the clue to peruse it for more information.

"Yikk Tower now? Looks like we'll have to find another taxi..." sighed King Boo.

* * *

Seaside Airport – 2:00 P.M.

The remaining six teams arrived at the airport without having their questions answered. Trying to displace the thoughts of possibly being on a worse flight than the four missing teams, the players dashed out of the departure gates and frantically called for taxis.

"Taxi! Taxiiii!~" Dixie shouted, emitting a sound of glee as a taxi halted next to them.

"We have to find a taxi, fast," Mario said, motioning for Luigi to hurry up. Luigi was panting heavily.

"I-I need to get in better shape..." he sighed, wiping his forehead with his green cap.

Peach and Daisy found a taxi almost as soon as they had arrived at the pick-up zone, and were putting their luggage away in the trunk while the other teams stumbled to search for a cab.

"Here's a taxi, Toad!" yelled Toadette to her partner, trying to grab his attention. "Come on, hurry!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Toad said, looking remarkably similar to Luigi in terms of tiredness and exasperation.

"Pianta! Here's one!" Noki called out, jumping by a seashell-shaped taxi.

"Take us to Plack Beach, pronto!" Boo demanded of the driver, his voice as incisive as steel. Dry Bones quailed in his seat at Boo's authoritative tone.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach Shore)**

"Ah, I see the docks!" Yoshi called out from inside their taxi, pointing to the piers looming a few feet above the water on a protruding ledge at the edge of the beach.

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Thanks for the ride!" said Birdo, giving the taxi driver ten coins to pay for their fare.

The two of them walked up to the kiosk right beside the first pier, where they could see a ticker flag with the main colors of the race planted in the sand. A Toad wearing a snorkel mask was standing next to it with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Um, you have a few items for us...?" Birdo inquired. The Toad nodded, and walked to the other side of the kiosk. He brought back a mask, flippers, and multi-colored floaties along with diving suits. They watched a video with a quick demonstration of how to pull out the tooth from the ground using only ropes to grapple the cavity imbibed into the seafloor.

Both of them taking a deep breath, they looked at each other before and nodded once before diving into the sea, hand in hand.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Yikk Tower, 31st Floor)**

Goomba & Koopa found Dr. Toadley waiting for them on the thirty first floor, where his doctor's office was assembled. He had on his typical mystical turban, as well as some goggles. Sitting behind him were presumably ten patients of his, which ranged from two Goombas, Koopas, Toads, Shy Guys, and Boos.

Dr. Toadley got up and shook both of their hands. He greeted them, "Welcome to Dr. Toadley's Yikk Tower Clinic! I'm assuming you two are from the Amazing Race?"

The two of them nodded. Dr. Toadley chuckled and asked them to choose a patient.

"Does it matter which patient you choose?" asked Koopa a bit worriedly. Dr. Toadley only shrugged.

"Hm, if it doesn't... then why don't we just choose that Goomba, then?" Goomba suggested, pointing to a Goomba sitting in the front row.

"No, dear, I think we should go for the Koopa, dear."

"Oh, no bias at all, correct?"

"Well, Koopas are proven to have longer longevity in terms of lifespan when compared to all of the other creatures in the Mushroom Kingdom, dear," Koopa said with firmness.

After a few moments of consideration, Goomba said grudgingly, "...That sounds mighty good."

Koopa, smirking at Goomba's acquiescence, chose the Koopa and the two of them were brought to a Boo-Ray Machine. Dr. Toadley explained to them how the machine worked, and they started searching.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach, Underwater)**

The two reptilians found that uprooting the cavity was much more difficult than they thought; first off, they had to anchor their ropes around the bottom of the tooth, securing it tightly. Then, they had to tie off a knot and pull it out of the ground simultaneously. The task sounded as if it could be performed in a matter of minutes, and in truth, it could, but for those inexperienced, it took a lot longer than it usually should, as expected.

Not being able to communicate with each other, the team faced difficulties conversing about whether or not it was time to give up. Yoshi had managed to tie on the ropes around the base of the tooth, but when they pulled the rope up, the holes loosened and the rope floated uselessly around the water.

Birdo shook her head, bubbles pouring out of her snorkel as she tried to tell Yoshi that it was no good. Yoshi caught her meaning after a few seconds and the two of them dived back up to the surface, clenching their ropes tightly.

"Gasp!" panted Yoshi, taking gulps of air. "That... didn't go... as according to plan..."

"Blub... Yes, it didn't go so well..." said Birdo, removing the snorkel mask from her mouth. "Let's try again in a minute or so."

Yoshi nodded. After resting for a minute to recollect their energy, the two of them dived once more into the waters of Plack Beach.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Ah, I understand completely!" Koopa exclaimed in a burst of enlightenment. "All you must do is whenever you spot any of five sets of green, Boo-like walls, you press this big button and it will vaporize it, am I correct?"

Dr. Toadley confirmed her statement. "Yes, that is all you have to do. Keep in mind, however, that the Boo Walls will disappear after three seconds if not shot while under the light, and will not be susceptible to attacks for five minutes."

"That sounds quite bad... We don't have the sharpest reflexes in the shed," Goomba admitted.

The Koopa patient they were scanning looked unsettled, laying flat on his back on a reclining chair. Koopa snapped some doctor's gloves onto her wrinkled hands, and put on a doctor's mirror. Goomba looked curiously at her.

"Um, honey, you do know we do not require gloves for this operation..." said Goomba.

"Oh, I'm just getting into the role!" laughed Koopa, tossing her purse behind her, where it landed on top of one of the Toads, who gave a shout of pain.

"I suppose I'll join you, then," Goomba decided, putting on the gloves Koopa handed to him.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 3rd (Yikk Tower Skydeck)**

"There's the clue box!" Waluigi called out. The two brothers rudely shoved their way through past crowds of people, causing heckles to be thrown about.

Ignoring the glaring stares around them, Wario took one clue out and read, "Detour. Scrub It or Screen It."

"I'm voting for Screen It," said Waluigi.

"What? Scrub It is the better choice."

"Why must you always go for the detour that only involves brute force?"

"Because it's QUICKER."

"...Last leg, we were – "

"Graaaah! We're doing Scrub It, and that's final!" Wario shouted angrily in impatience.

"You don't have any reasons to back up your choice!" argued Waluigi, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Does it MATTER? You didn't back up your own case!"

"Well, that's because – "

"HAH!" Wario cut him off in triumph. The two of them continued to bicker, causing the crowd around them to back away in fright.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : Currently in 4th (Yikk Tower Skydeck)**

"Well, there are the Wario brothers," King Boo said with faint distaste, floating over to the clue box. People ran out of the two professors' way voluntarily, shocked by the appearance of two rather giant and educated behemoths.

"Detour. Scrub It or Screen It," said King Boo. He turned to Petey. "What d'you think?"

Petey put his leaf to his chin. "Screen It. Need I explain why?"

"Not at all." King Boo quickly stuffed the clue into their backpacks as they made toward the elevator, leaving the still arguing Wario brothers behind them.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Plack Beach Shoreline)**

The dating chimps were the first to get a taxi, and as such, they were the first to arrive on the scene with the Sea Pipe Statue.

"Come on, there's traces that a few of the missing teams already arrived here before us," Dixie urged her partner, as Diddy shouldered his backpack. "See, there are faint tracks on the path."

She motioned to the footprints littered all over the sand-covered pathway.

"Coming!" Diddy said. He gave a quick glance around the beach. Diddy thought he caught a glimpse of green and magenta diving into the water, but shook his head and followed Dixie.

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : Currently in 5th (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

"Head on over to Yikk Tower." read Dixie.

"Back to the cab," Diddy said. As they ran back out to the shore, Diddy looked at the piers. There was nothing.

"Maybe I just imagined things..." he muttered.

"Imagined what?" Dixie asked him, putting her face close to his with a whimsical expression.

"N-Nothing," said Diddy, startled.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Plack Beach Shoreline)**

"Oh, hi Diddy, Dixie!" Toadette greeted, spotting Dixie and Diddy just as they were getting into their cab. The two of them stepped out and gave the two Toads a wave before slamming their door shut.

"Let's get going..." Toad said, dragging Toadette onto the path, who was still waving cheerily at Diddy and Dixie's taxi as they drove away. Apparently, the two had forgotten their argument earlier.

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : Currently in 6th (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

"Head to Yikk Tower," Toad read.

"Let's gooo~!" sang Toadette loudly, running out of the clearing.

Toad smacked his forehead. "Sometimes, Toadette can be too... emotional..." said Toad, struggling to find the right word to define Toadette's range of emotions.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach, Underwater)**

"There must be something we're not getting," Birdo said, having reached the surface for the third time. "The ropes keep on loosening themselves..."

Yoshi was tired. He asked his partner, "We can watch the video again, can't we?"

"...You're right, we certainly can!" Birdo exclaimed. She began swimming back to the shore. "Either that, or the tooth we chose to dig out was too ingrained into the seafloor..."

"Let's hope that it's the former," panted Yoshi.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Yikk Tower, 31st Floor)**

"Aha! There's one of the Boo Walls!" Koopa said, after spotting a set of green blocks with Boo faces on them blocking an artery passage.

"I'll get it!" Goomba said, pressing the button as quick as he could. Only two seconds had passed when Goomba slammed his head on the button, and a thin ray from the scanning machine fired into the location. Goomba and Koopa watched in admiration as the ray hit the Boo walls, which disintegrated immediately as it was hit by the beam. The Koopa winced as the beam hit him, even though the ray had no feeling of effect on the body.

"Good job," said Dr. Toadley, overseeing their progress. "You have four more to take care of."

"Splendid! Hopefully we won't have too much trouble," said Koopa, this time letting Goomba take reign of the machine, which left the button-pressing to her.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : Currently in 7th (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

The two best friends were barely ahead of Boo and Dry Bones, who were right behind them. Rushing the taxi driver to drive faster, the two princesses dashed out of the taxi as soon as it stopped and grabbed the clue box next to the water-spewing Sea Pipe Statue.

"What an odd statue... Is that a Blooper statue on it?" Peach asked, staring at the stationary Blooper statue sitting on top of the two interconnected pipes.

As if in response, the Blooper suddenly shot a jet of water at Peach's face, causing her to squeal and wipe her face. Daisy fell to the floor, laughing.

"That...! That Blooper statue just spewed some water on me!" said Peach angrily, her hair soaking wet.

Daisy just kept on laughing. "Oh my stars, that was HILARIOUS. You know better than not to mess with immobile objects, Peach!"

Peach glared at her. Her laughs subsiding a bit, Daisy said while chortling, "Why else do you think everything in the Mushroom Kingdom has eyes?"

Deciding not to answer her, Peach grabbed a clue from the clue box, grumbling. She read in a monotone, "Head over to Yikk Tower."

Daisy was still trying to stifle her giggles. After a few moments, she was unsuccessful and began to roll on the ground again, laughing so loudly birds flew off from the trees. Rolling her eyes, Peach walked out onto the path without her.

"Hey, wait for me!" Daisy said, noticing Peach was leaving without her. The Blooper on the Sea Pipe Statue smirked.

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 8th (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

"P-Peach and Daisy are j-just leaving," said Dry Bones, watching Peach push a laughing Daisy into a taxi.

"Yes, well, it's good that we don't have to get involved with them," Boo said.

"T-That's a bit harsh..." mumbled Dry Bones.

"They'll just slow us down if we have to talk to them."

Getting out from the taxi, the two ran towards the clue box.

"Head over to Y-Yikk Tower," Dry Bones read. "Let's go b-back...?"

* * *

**Noki & Pianta (Plack Beach Shoreline)**

"Argh! We're at the back of the pack again!" Noki groaned, her temper flaring.

"Patience... Remember, there's still a lot of the leg to go," Pianta said, trying to soothe her.

"Yeah, but it's hard when four teams might actually be ahead of you... And it's looking like that they are ahead of us right now," said Noki glumly. Pianta patted her on the back.

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Currently in 9th (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

"Head over to Yikk Tower..." said Noki. "Got any ideas where that is?"

Pianta shrugged. "I've never been to this part of the kingdom before."

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in Last (Plack Beach, Sea Pipe Statue)**

The Mario brothers were the last to reach the Sea Pipe Statue. They were still feeling encouraged though, and didn't look dejected as the pulled out one of the last clues from the clue box.

"I have a feeling we're the last team to get here," said Luigi, slitting open the clue with a gloved finger.

"It's pretty ironic, considering we were first when we started the leg..." Mario agreed. "There's still ample time to catch up."

"Head over to Yikk Tower." read Luigi. "Yikk Tower, eh? Wasn't that the tower with the Boo-Ray machine and we had to explore the Energy Hold and catch Durmite?"

"Yeah, it was," Mario recalled. "I wonder if our next task involves something with that machine..."

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Yikk Tower, 31st Floor)**

Dr. Toadley got up from his seat and greeted the next team to arrive, sparking the attention of Goomba and Koopa for a brief moment.

"Ah, you must be here for the task." Dr. Toadley said after shaking both of their hands. He directed them over to where the nine patients were sitting. "Please, come this way..."

**Goomba & Koopa (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"There is another team... the professors, if I'm not mistaken," said Koopa.

"Let's focus on the task at hand, koopa-bun," Goomba told her. "Good gracious, there's the next set of Boo Walls!"

Koopa was still staring at King Boo and Petey Piranha when Goomba shouted out the discovery. Goomba pulled on Koopa's hand impatiently.

"Dear!" Goomba exclaimed. He tried to push the button himself, but it was too late. The Boo Walls they had under the Boo-Ray Machine had already disappeared.

Koopa had just realized the magnanimity of her lack of action. "Oh, dear! I am so sorry!" she apologized. "That was entirely my fault!"

Taking a deep breath, Goomba replied, "It's alright. We can spend the next five minutes searching for another set of Boo walls."

"I am so sorry, dear."

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Plack Beach, Docks)**

Apparently, Wario had won the argument over which Detour they were to select, as the two of them were heading towards the docks with discontented grumbling.

The Toad wearing the snorkel mask nodded to them as they approached. Without saying a word, Wario put his hand out and signaled for the items. The Toad handed them ropes, flippers, snorkel masks, and diving suits before putting in the instructional tape.

"At least the two dinos are still here..." Waluigi mumbled, spotting Yoshi and Birdo coming up to shore, pulling a large tooth back with them.

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach, Underwater)**

After watching the instructional video once more, the engaged couple finally understood what they were doing wrong : they forgot to tie an extra knot after putting the ropes in place. It was then, that everything went smooth sailing. Of course, the energy required to pull up the tooth strained them a bit, but after a few encouraging nods to each other, they managed to uproot the tooth, causing it to drift eerily underwater. Letting out two cries of joy, the two hurried back up to the surface.

"Ahh!" gasped Yoshi. "We did it, Birdo!"

"I'm so proud of us!" Birdo said happily. She saw Wario and Waluigi and waved at them as they were coming up to the docks. "Hey, guys!"

"Now all we have to do is scrub it clean," Yoshi reminded her, grabbing one side of the tooth. Birdo took the other, and they began to bring the tooth back to shore.

"More scrubbing. Ick," said Birdo, still annoyed by what they had to do last leg.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Yikk Tower Entrance)**

"Does... that tower have a mustache on top of it?" asked Diddy, awestruck by the leering height of the tower as well as its oddities.

"It does look like it..." Dixie said. Shrugging, the two of them entered the tower.

**Toad & Toadette (Yikk Tower Entrance)**

"Oh, we're here! Thank you, Mr. Driver," Toadette said to their cabbie, tossing him a bunch of coins.

"The clue said we were to go to the skydeck, right?" Toad asked his partner.

"Yep!" she confirmed, bounding through the entrance without waiting for him.

Toad gave a sigh. "Toadette, would it be so hard for you to just wait for me for once..."

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"There's one!"

Petey Piranha took his command and pounded the red button on the side of the Boo-Ray machine. The machine emitted a little squeal before promptly zapping a concentrated beam of light onto the designated area, disintegrating the Boo-Walls.

"One down!" crooned Petey Piranha happily.

"Four more to go," said King Boo grimly in response.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"That's our third one, correct?" asked Koopa, feeling weary. It was her turn to scan for the Boo-Walls again, and it was their fifth time trying, after having missed once more since Koopa's foul-up earlier.

"Ye-es," Goomba said grumpily. "I wish it that it weren't so."

"I agree... This is so tedious."

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach, Palm Tree Boardwalk)**

"This area should be big enough for us to scrub the tooth," Birdo said, as the two reptilians found a large, open space on the Palm Tree Boardwalk, home to many stores and shops.

"I'm tempted to get some boardwalk fries..." Yoshi said delectably, drooling slightly. "We haven't eaten in a while, you know."

"We're in a race, honey," Birdo reminded him, nudging him gently as he started to slow down with dragging their tooth along the ground.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Plack Beach, Underwater)**

"Blub blub glub blub!" Wario babbled incoherently, trying to speak to Waluigi whilst in the sea.

Waluigi raised an eyebrow and gave him a questionable look. The ropes tied around their tooth were loose and unsecured. Wario kept pointing down at their tooth in furious motions, so furiously in fact, that he started to propel himself up involuntarily. Waluigi gave a bubbly groan and smacked his face as Wario swam back down.

This was going to take forever.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Yikk Tower Skydeck)**

"There's our clue!" Dixie exclaimed, pointing to a visible clue box jutting out from the crowd of tourists wearing binoculars or cameras and typical floral prints.

"And there are the Toads," said Diddy.

Dixie whirled around. "The Toads?"

"Yeah, right over there." Diddy pointed to the elevator that they had just come out from.

They could see Toadette running towards them with an ecstatic grin on her face, her plaits as well as Toad following behind.

"Hello, how are you, you two!" said Toadette, grasping and shaking their hands with energy. Toad walked up to them, panting and putting his hands on his belly.

Dixie backed up a step, unnerved by Toadette's bubbliness. "Um, great. How're you?" she asked the domed girl.

"The race has been really exciting so far, hasn't it? I don't think I've ever done something as wild as this in my life. Of course I do some pretty wild things while at home in Toad Town, but you know what I mean, right?" Toadette babbled without pausing for breath, showing no signs of stopping. "I bungee-jumped off of the tallest tower in Peach's Castle, once. It was exhilirating! And oh gosh, I talked for a bit too long; we should be getting on with the race! My bad."

Diddy and Dixie, both of whom did not know how to respond to this onslaught of words, merely replied in unison, "It's.. okay."

Toad rolled his eyes. So much for making a good impression. But it wasn't like Toadette was the only one at fault. After all, with his slipping into the waters earlier in the morning, Toad wondered why Toadette was suddenly cheerful and happy, even more so than usual.

Putting it in the back of his mind, Toad spoke up, "Let's get to the clue box."

"Good idea," said Diddy with a nervous grin.

**Diddy & Dixie / Toad & Toadette – Currently in 5th (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

"Here's our second clue : A Detour!" said Diddy, looking at the yellow brochure inside the clue envelope. "Scrub It or Screen It."

"I say we do Scrub It," said Dixie. "I think that Screen It would take too much time, plus, we're pretty good swimmers, aren't we?"

"You bet," Diddy replied. "So we're doing Scrub It, then."

"Ooh, a Detour!" Toadette said, unfurling the clue and reading it aloud. "Scrub it or Screen It! Both sound like fun! Scuba diving or an arcade game, in a nutshell, pretty much?"

"What do you think we should do, Toad?" Toadette asked her partner, turning to face him. Toad was spaced-out and had a blank stare across his face. "Toad?"

"Wh-What? Oh, the Detour. Um, yeah, that sounds good," said Toad. Toadette was not amused.

"I was asking you what you wanted to do, Toad."

"O-Oh, you did? I'll um, do Screen It, I guess..."

Toadette scrutinized Toad closely with a squint before smiling. "Okay, that sounds good! I'd rather do scuba-diving, but that's just me. Screen It it is!"

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Yikk Tower, 31st Floor)**

"It's been a while since we've seen another Toad," said Toadette. "And look who it is! Dr. Toadley!"

Dr. Toadley, who was watching the progress between the married couple and professors, looked up at Toad and Toadette's entrance. Smiling, he walked over to them, shaking their hands in a genial manner.

"Toad! And Toadette! My patients, how nice to see you, still in the race," said Dr. Toadley.

"It's nice to see you too, Dr. Toadley. Um... You have a task for us, don't you?" Toad asked him, looking hesitantly at the hurried and furious teams working in front of them.

Dr. Toadley nodded. "Why, yes, I do. If you'll follow me, let me show you what you have to do..."

**Goomba & Koopa (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Golly, it seems as if everyone is catching up," said Koopa curiously. "Even though we had a prime flight on our hands, it still wasn't enough to give us a stable lead..."

"Yes, it's disappointing, but remember honey, we have to focus at the task at hand! We'll never finish if we don't." Goomba told her, afraid that Koopa was going to fumble again.

"Don't worry, dear, I know," Koopa replied, somewhat annoyed.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Drat! It looks like a team from the later flight is already here," said King Boo, looking over his round shoulder and scowling at Toad and Toadette's arrival.

Petey Piranha could only frown as he stood by the red button, ready to push it when necessary.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach, Palm Tree Boardwalk)**

"Wait a second... Maybe we shouldn't have dragged this tooth all the way here," Yoshi said after they had scrubbed almost half of the tooth completely clean of plaque and debris.

Birdo's tail wagged in the air as finished scrubbing a small spot of clinging dirt on the root of the tooth before setting the rag aside. She looked up. "What do you mean?"

"Don't we have to bring it back to the Toad?" asked Yoshi. "It'll take some time for us to bring it back once we've finished scrubbing."

Birdo was stupefied by this statement. She shook her head, and then said in an determined voice, "Well, we've already brought it here, so let's just finish what we've started. We're going to have to bring it back eventually anyways, and there's no good wasting our energy in hoisting this tooth back up to the docks, with even less energy to scrub the tooth spotless."

"This could have been a stupid move on our part..." Yoshi said grimly.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Plack Beach, Underwater)**

Wario grunted as he pulled on the string. After managing to get the ropes secured around the tooth in three tries, Wario quickly beckoned for Waluigi to come and help him.

In a few coordinated heaves and pulls, the two brothers managed to dislodge the tooth from the seafloor surface, and brought it back up to shore. Panting, Wario yanked off his diving mask and tossed into the sand beside him. Waluigi did the same.

"Heh, looks like third time's the charm, eh?" stated Wario confidently.

"Now we need to scrub," Waluigi said, taking two rags out and tossing one to Wario. Wario deftly caught it in one hand.

"What a stupid task," Wario muttered under his breath as he started scrubbing.

"At least it didn't take us as long as we thought," Waluigi remarked positively.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Currently in 1st (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Oh, incredible! That's our fifth one!" Koopa exclaimed, after pushing the red button and vaporizing the last set of Boo-walls within their Koopa patient. The patient looked relieved, and hastily got out of the chair as Goomba and Koopa waltzed over to Dr. Toadley for their clue.

"Thank you," said Goomba, opening the clue promptly he received from the amiable doctor. "Make your way to Dimble Wood."

Teams must now make their way to Dimble Wood. Once there, players must go the famous Wiggler farm located in the heart of the woods, where a family of Wigglers grow some of the largest vegetables in the world, each generation tending the prized crops one after another. After they have located the farm, players must talk to the head Wiggler to receive their next clue.

"Dimble Wood, eh? Funny name for a forest," said Goomba. Koopa patted him gently on the shoulder before giving him a hug.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. We might be in first!" Koopa said hopefully.

"I think we are," Goomba replied, stepping into the elevator and taking off his cap good-bye to Dr. Toadley and the other teams.

"And down thirty-one floors we go!" Goomba said, letting Koopa cling onto him with a faint patch of red on his wrinkled old cheeks.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Looks like they've completed zapping all five of their walls," said Petey Piranha, who was still handling the red button as they scoured for their next set of walls.

"Just two more, and we'll be done too," King Boo told him, getting slightly frustrated by their slow progress.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Blubble Lake Shoreline)**

"Come here, honey! I've found us a taxi!" Koopa screamed, dumping her purse and backback into the backseat before diving into the taxi herself. Goomba followed her.

"Take us to Dimble Wood, please!" Koopa demanded with vigor. The Koopa driver looked a bit uncertain before pedaling away.

"If you can go fast, please do, we're in a race," Goomba added, trying to sound polite.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Look! There are the Wario brothers," Diddy pointed out, spotting a yellow and purple speck in the distance. "This must have been what I saw earlier."

"Were they ahead of us? They weren't on our flight... I'm glad to see that we may have caught up," Dixie said happily.

"I believe that you have some equipment for us?" Diddy asked the Toad diver. The Toad nodded and handed them their equipment, then showed them the instructional video.

While they were watching, Dixie whispered to Diddy, "...I didn't know that they still used VHSes."

**Wario & Waluigi (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Those monkeys are on our tail again," Wario grumbled. The two Wario brothers were almost done with scrubbing their tooth.

"I can't believe it. We got an earlier flight than them, and they still manage to catch up... We'd better hurry, those two are fast on their feet," Waluigi said disbelievingly at Diddy and Dixie's approach.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach, Palm Tree Boardwalk)**

"Goodness gracious, I'm glad that's over with," Birdo sighed, finally finished with wiping all of the dirt off of their toothy cavity.

"Yes... Now we have to bring it back," said Yoshi with dread in his voice. Birdo shook her head.

"We must plow on. Remember, this could be our change to keep a lead!" said Birdo encouragingly.

**Yoshi & Birdo (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"That took a lot... longer than I thought. This isn't quite what I had in mind when I meant 'deep cleaning'," said Birdo, spreading her arms out on the tooth and letting the rope on her back drop down, panting. "At least we finished."

"Yes, now we can finally get this tooth out of our sights and nab that clue," Yoshi said with relief.

Birdo ran over to the Toad diver, whose expression perked at their approach.

"Excuse me, but we've finished cleaning our tooth. Do you mind examining it?" she asked.

The Toad nodded and hastened to examine their cleaned cavity. After giving it a thorough look, he flicked a thumbs-up at them and took a clue out of his coat pocket. Yoshi and Birdo looked at each other before hugging each other quickly.

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 2nd (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Thank you," Yoshi said, taking the clue from the Toad. He quickly opened it. "Make your way to Dimble Wood."

"Dimble Wood? That seems far," said Birdo.

"It can't be more than an hour drive for a local," Yoshi told her, as he packed up their belongings.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

"I'm still soaking wet..." Peach muttered, looking down at her shirt with distaste.

"Come on, the next clue has to be somewhere near here!" said Daisy, turning her head wildly in search of the clue.

"Ah, there it is!" she exclaimed. Peach was busy wringing out her hair, much to the dismay of a Toad tourist, who backed away immediately looking scandalously at the pink princess.

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : Currently in 7th (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

"Detour! Scrub It or Screen It," Daisy read aloud. "I think we should do Scrub It."

"Scrub It? Are you sure?" Peach asked with concern. "We'll have to go back to Plack Beach."

"You're right, I didn't think about that," admitted Daisy. "So... Screen It, then?"

"I was thinking we should do that one. It's closer and can't take much more time than the other option what with the scrubbing and all that."

Daisy nodded. "Okay, Screen It it is!"

**Boo & Dry Bones (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

"There are the princesses," Boo muttered, as he and Dry Bones ran out of the elevator, scrambling to get through the crowd.

"L-Looks like they d-didn't spot us..." said Dry Bones, watching Peach and Daisy run right past them with a clue clutched in the latter's hands.

"There's the clue!" Boo suddenly exclaimed. People were starting to actively move away from the undead duo, shocked and apprehensive of the two racers.

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 8th (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

"Detour, Scrub It or Screen It," Boo stated to themselves.

"We're going to do Screen It," declared Boo.

"Ah..." Dry Bones spoke up, but fell silent. "O-Okay."

"31st Floor! Come on, we have to catch up with the rest of the teams," Boo said angrily, folding the clue and stuffing it into his backpack. He floated towards the elevator with due haste.

Dry Bones sighed. "It'd be n-nice if he asked me... B-But we're in a rush..." He followed his companion into the elevator, who was mashing on the down button furiously.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : Currently in 3rd (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Whew, finally! We're done," said Petey, wiping his brow as he pulled his head out of the Boo-Ray Machine.

Likewise, King Boo released his hold on the red button, and tilted the crown on his head with an effort. Dr. Toadley ran up to them and swiftly examined the patient. With a quick nod, Dr. Toadley handed them their clue as their Goomba patient quickly ran out of the seat, feeling relieved.

"Make your way to Dimble Wood," said Petey.

"Dimble Wood... That's rather far. Come on, we need to find a taxi, posthaste!" King Boo told him.

Petey sighed as they climbed unobtrusively into the elevator. "It feels as if we're just running from one place to the next..."

Petey Piranha : I have to admit, I wasn't expecting for the race to be this fast-paced. Everything was like a blur, I barely had any time to enjoy the sights.

King Boo : Yes, well, there's a million coins at stake. Naturally, one would rush through these challenges as quick as possible.

Petey Piranha : I understand. It's just that I felt slightly disheartened to see such behavior... But I suppose I can't deny my own desire of grandeur and riches; we applied and entered this race, after all!

**Toad & Toadette (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Come on, ignore them, Toadette, let's just mind our own business and stick to this task," Toad whispered into Toadette's ears.

Toadette glanced at King Boo and Petey with worry in her eyes. She shook her head and returned to the Boo-Ray machine, scanning for any Boo walls that happened to come in their way.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

Once the two co-workers stepped out of the elevator, Pianta immediately said, "There's the clue box."

Noki was appalled. She started darting to her left and right, jumping up and down to look for the yellow and red marker. "Clue box? Where? I don't see anything?"

Pianta grabbed Noki and placed her on his shoulders. Noki screamed, "I see it now! Pianta, let's go there QUICKLY!"

Was there any other reason not to? Pianta trotted off towards the clue box as fast as they could go, before two other figures stepped out of an adjacent elevator.

**Mario & Luigi (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

"We're surely in last now, bro!" Luigi said with clear disappointment etched on his face and in his voice.

Mario shook his head. "Maybe we're not. There's another team, right there."

"Really?" Luigi whipped his head around. He spotted the two co-workers with glee.

"Come on, let's-a go to that next clue!" Mario said.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Currently in 9th (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

Noki tapped gently on Pianta's head. "Gah! There's another team behind us!" Noki said in realization that Mario & Luigi were right on their tails.

"Here's the next clue... Detour! Scrub It or Screen It," Pianta read, grasping Noki's foot with one hand and the clue in the other.

"Let's do Screen It, since I'll probably be useless at pulling out that tooth," Noki said after a quick moment of thought. Pianta acquiesced.

"Let's get back to the elevator, we're really bringing it close," said Noki, dragging Pianta once more through the thick crowd.

Noki : I knew that we were fighting to get second to last place at that point... It was unbelievably stressful, having that weight on you, and knowing exactly who your opponents were.

Pianta (nods) : All we were thinking was not to get eliminated... A million coins were at stake; it's not only for the finalists, but ever since the beginning, they were up for grabs for all of the teams.

Noki (Fiddles with her hands, looking down) : It's unfortunate that a few of us will miss out on the opportunity... But we were granted one by getting onto this competition in the first place.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in Last (Yikk Tower, Skydeck)**

Mario ripped open the clue.

"Scrub It or Screen It. Which one should we do, Luigi?"

Luigi wrapped a hand around his chin.

"Hm... I think Screen It. We've worked with the Boo-Ray Machine before, haven't we?"

"Yes, but that time, Bowser was the one that controlled the machine."

"Oh, don't remind me. But we can probably work it better than the challenge with unraveling the tooth, plus it's nearer."

"Let's do Screen It, then!" Mario affirmed. Luigi nodded, happy to be listened to for once.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

"Thank you!" said Goomba as he handed their taxi driver their fee. The two of them entered the deep and rather mysterious Dimble Wood quickly.

Dimble Wood was pretty much your average forest, with plenty of trees, rocks, and lovely greenery. It was populated by many families of Wigglers and Sockops, both of which lived in harmony. The forest was a peaceful place, and it was unknown whether or not it would take offence at having a few rowdy disruptions for this day's race.

Fortunately, Goomba and Koopa weren't very loud; they were only silent in actions, not words, however. The chattering and slightly senile couple marveled at their surroundings as they unfurled a map and tried to find their bearings.

"What a beautiful place," Koopa said, as Goomba sat down on a tree stump and examined the map. She sat down right beside him.

"Don't get too distracted, Koopa," Goomba reprimanded. "According to this map we so conveniently bought while we were inside the Yikk Tower, there are a few Wiggler family farms."

"Do we know which one to go to?" asked Koopa.

"I'm not exactly sure," said Goomba. "The clue didn't mention a specific farm."

Flashback : ___Teams must now make their way to Dimble Wood. Once there, players must go the famous Wiggler farm located in the heart of the woods..._

"Shall we just go around each farm until we find the right one, then?" Koopa inquired.

Goomba nodded. "I suppose it's the only way..."

"How many farms are there?"

Goomba glanced back at the map. "Apparently there are seven. Six in a hexagonal formation and one in the middle."

"Let's go around each farm before ending at the middle then," Koopa suggested.

"Yes, let's!"

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 4th (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Gee, thanks," Wario said sarcastically as he snatched the clue away from the Toad diver.

"That took way longer than it should have," mumbled Waluigi.

"Make your way to Dimble Wood..." Wario said, before rushing back to the main road, where a flood of beach-goers and likely taxis came pouring in. "Taxi! TAAAXI!"

The two brothers luckily found an open red-shelled taxi near the side of the road. As soon as they climbed in and put their bags in the trunk, Waluigi said to the driver :

"Take us to Dimble Wood, as fast as you can go!"

He jabbed a long finger in front, and the Koopa driver, who was not the type to be intimidated, glanced at the brothers with distaste and pedaled off at a lower speed than the Wario brothers would've preferred.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

"Well, there's Dimble Wood," Birdo stated flatly. It was impossible to sense the lack of enthusiasm in her voice.

"We're going to have to do some more navigating if we want to get to the heart of the forest," said Yoshi.

Birdo looked at him skeptically, her features skewed from the amount of energy they had exerted on the detour task they had done. Yoshi smiled back at her sheepishly.

"But that's what maps are for!" said Yoshi, unfurling a map from their backpacks.

Birdo rolled her eyes as Yoshi examined the map. After a minute or so, Birdo said impatiently :

"Haven't you found where we are yet?"

She knew that her words came out a little too strict as soon as they had left her mouth. Birdo felt slightly afraid and guilty that Yoshi might snap back at her, which was not something she had wanted. She waited for his reaction, but oddly enough, it didn't come as she had expected, for Yoshi replied :

"I'm trying. But apparently our map doesn't list how to get to the center of Dimble Wood."

The anthropomorphic reptile was struck with disbelief. One couldn't blame her.

"... What." That was all she could utter.

"Apparently, all this map shows is the general outline of Dimble Wood. I doubt any one of us knows the interior of the forest well enough to traverse through without using a map. We should have bought a better map," said Yoshi with a frown.

"But... but... what will we do now?" Birdo asked.

"I don't know. But either way, we'll have to do something. We can't sit here forever, waiting for a solution to appear," Yoshi told her, putting the map back into their backpack.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

King Boo and Petey Piranha were stopping outside of Dimble Wood before the former noticed something.

"Excuse me, Petey." He tapped on his partner's shoulder. Petey whisked around.

"Isn't that Yoshi & Birdo?" the great Boo asked.

Petey stared at where his partner was pointing. Sure enough, there was a speck of green and pink sitting on two tree stumps near the outskirts, and from the looks of it, they were heatedly in a discussion. Spotting Yoshi might have been a rather difficult task, but Birdo and her pinkness did not let her conceal her appearance in any way amidst the green forest.

"I suppose it is. Should we go talk to them?" Petey asked.

King Boo seemed to smirk, but Petey didn't quite catch on. "No... They're too busy talking to each other. Let us get on with our own business. You still have the map, don't you, Petey? We're going to need it."

"Of course. I always come prepared!" said Petey, taking the map out with exuberance.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Dimble Wood, Wiggler ? Farm)**

The elderly couple stumbled onto the first farm on their lists, looking around the freshly plowed fields with apprehension. They weren't able to spot a clue box or red and yellow marker anywhere.

"Hm. Is this the right field, Goomba-dear?" Koopa inquired, trudging out of the sticky mud and soil using her cane for support.

"I don't think so... Let's not leap to conclusions, however. Are there any carrots around?" Goomba asked, poking around the fields with a pinched nose.

A few leaves were sprouting out of the ground. Merely yards away, Koopa hesitated slightly before proclaiming :

"Well, there's only one way to find out!" She bent down on her knees and got ready to pluck.

Goomba, who was examining a wooden sign tacked onto a vine-covered gate, turned around and gasped.

"Dear!" The old Goomba shouted, as his hat fell off when the efforts of his wife came to fruition.

"Oh my!" Koopa's hands slipped. The leaves of the plant flew into the air as soil came flying out of the hole.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"We need two more, don't we?"

Toadette was handling the Boo-Ray Machine scanner again, while Toad was at the button. He nodded.

"I think so."

Toadette let out a small sigh before continuing to scan for the Boo-Walls.

Toad noticed her exasperation, or was it tiredness? Maybe it was a mix of both. Nevertheless, he asked her :

"Would you like me to take over, Toadette?"

Toadette gave him a quick glance. Finding it difficult to give up her position, Toadette said finally after a few seconds of silence :

"...Sure."

Toad smiled, and took her place. He knew that she probably forgave him for falling off of the ferry that morning. Toadette wasn't one to hold grudges.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Plack Beach, Underwater)**

"This is a lot harder than I would've imagined," said Dixie, grunting as she and Diddy struggled in pulling up their tooth, which had been removed out of its place in the ocean floor and was now being brought back to the beach.

"Let's keep at it," Diddy told her encouragingly.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Seriously? We're supposed to clean teeth?" Peach was bewildered. Of course she understood the meaning of the task when the title so blatantly stated the objective, "Scrub It", but she didn't think that they would go underwater to obtain the tooth.

"Hey, it's supposed to be fun," said Daisy happily, as she plunged into the water without further ado.

"Yes, for you, maybe, who rarely ever sees the water," Peach retorted. "And I don't see how ridding a tooth of its plaque and other germs would be considered fun..."

But Daisy was already a good ways underwater, oblivious to everything Peach had just uttered. Sighing, Peach dove into the water as well.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Our knowledge from college won't help us in this battle," muttered Boo as he searched for any signs of a set of Boo-Walls. Unfortunately for them, the two undead roommates haven't found a single set yet.

Dry Bones clacked his teeth while waiting for Boo's signal, his hand at the ready to press the button when time comes.

**Noki & Pianta (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"This thing is so hard to control!" Noki was complaining about her inability to use the Boo-Ray machine properly. Whenever she directed the scanner at a certain part of their Boo's body, she could never get it to stay still, and the entire thing goes awry.

Pianta noticed her problem. Poor Noki was too short; the handles of the scanner were far above her head and she barely had any jurisdiction over her arms, which as a result caused the machine to fly around. Their Boo patient stared at them disbelievingly, and one time he even had to fizz out of visibility in order to dodge a blow to the head from the machine.

Pianta tapped on the doctor's shoulder. Dr. Toadley turned around.

"Excuse me, but may I borrow a stool?" Pianta requested politely.

Just then, Noki's voice came screeching from across the room."PIANTA! HELP ME!"

Pianta wiped his brow with annoyance. "Please get the stool to us ASAP."

Dr. Toadley chuckled and said that he would try and find one for them.

**Mario & Luigi (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"This is it... a penultimate battle between almost half of the teams," Luigi declared excitedly, and yet also not-so-excitedly at having to work with the Boo-Ray machine. Ever since his adventure with the mansion in Boo Woods, Luigi dreaded at having any association with ghosts whatsoever.

Dr. Toadley showed the Mario brothers to their station with great interest in his eyes. Mario and Luigi immediately set to work on their project and began searching for the Boo-Walls with quiet intensity.

"Four teams are battling it out..." whispered Mario as he took control of the scanning machine. He looked up at Luigi first, though. "Are you fine, Luigi?"

Luigi nodded, but his brother noticed the slight moment of hesitation before he did. "Y-Yes."

The sound of a triumphant voice interrupted them. "FINISHED! Finally!" The Mario brothers, surprised, turned around.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : Currently in 5th (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"I was getting a bit worried there, with all of those people coming in," Toadette said, as she gratefully leaped off of her stool and to Dr. Toadley, who handed them their next clue.

"It isn't like you to get worried," said Toad.

"Make your way to Dimble Wood," Toadette read aloud. "Time to find a taxi!"

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Turnip Farm)**

"This is a TURNIP."

Koopa brandished the jolly-faced turnip in her hand with an expression of equal joy. Goomba shook his head sadly.

"But a turnip, my dear, is not what we are looking for, unfortunately," Goomba explained for her. "Do you think, perhaps, that we may be going in the wrong direction?"

Koopa thought in quiet silence as she replanted the turnip as neatly as possible.

"Perhaps, perhaps..." she muttered.

"Let's try reading the clue again, it may provide us with something useful," said Goomba.

He stated aloud : "Make your way to Dimble Wood... blah blah blah, Wiggler farm located in the _heart _of the woods..."

"Oh my. It looks like we certainly should have paid better attention..." Koopa said, shocked.

"Yes, we wasted quite a bit of time with that foolish mistake," Goomba grumbled. "Good thing that we're likely in the top half of the teams, or this may have spelled out our doom..."

"Oh, dear, you know that we'd be able to stick it through any situation, no matter how grim it may seem," said Koopa with a heartwarming voice.

Goomba walked over and gave her a peck on her soiled cheek. "And that's why I love you, darling."

"You silly thing," Koopa said, as she pushed her husband away, having the grace to blush.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler ? Farm)**

The two professors walked into the middle of a filtered clearing, where a small Wiggler was watering the plants in a garden. The Wiggler looked up at their entrance, and placed its watering can down on the rim of the fields.

The small Wiggler ran up to them, its expressionless face staring into theirs relentlessly. Petey Piranha couldn't help but feel a little unnerved and hid behind King Boo, with the latter's translucence not being able to shield him one bit.

"You're the racers, right?" the Wiggler asked them in a high-pitched voice, which made it still impossible to decipher whether it was a boy or girl.

"Er, yes," King Boo admitted, staring back at the Wiggler with slight interest.

"Please follow me..." The Wiggler began walking away from them and led the two to the iron gate that led to the heart of the Wiggler farm, located in the heart of the forest.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : Currently in 1st (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Ah, yes, thank you," said King Boo, who received the next clue from the head Wiggler, which was as large as those Wiggler monoliths and statues littered about Dimble Wood.

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for buried treasure?" King Boo read.

_In this Roadblock, one person from each team will be rappelling down into the underground cave storage of the Wiggler Carrot Farm, which stores troves upon troves of the renowned carrots grown there. Once they have reached solid ground, the player must then search amongst the piles of carrots for one specifically marked with a yellow and red marker, and upon taking it back to the head Wiggler, they will receive their next clue._

"I'll do this one, if you don't mind, Petey," said King Boo, folding the clue and stuffing it onto a clip on his crown, which served as a replacement for pockets.

"Be my guest..." Petey said, still shivering slightly from the sight of the large Wiggler.

**King Boo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"How dark..." muttered King Boo, staring down the tunnel apprehensively as he was being strapped by a Wiggler.

"But that's just how I like it," he added as an afterthought. He began to rappel down the wall, slowly but steadily.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

"Thank you, kind sir!" said a grateful Birdo, folding a sheet with directions scribbled on it into her backpack.

"It's not a problem, ma'am."

The Toad tilted his cap in their direction before speeding away in his limousine, where his mistress was complaining loudly in the back why they hadn't moved yet.

"My apologies, Miss Toodles..."

"Now that we have directions to this... Monsieur Broque, is it?" Birdo reaffirmed, squinting at her own handwriting. "I suppose that he has maps for sale..."

"Excellent. Let's hurry to this Monsieur Broque, then," Yoshi said.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : Currently in 6th (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Thank you..." a tired Diddy said, as he and Dixie finally finished scrubbing their tooth from all of its plaque.

"That was even worse than cleaning all the mildew in my aunt's swimming pool... That hadn't been used for twenty years..." muttered Dixie, lying on the sand, her chest heaving. She didn't care if she had grains of sand on her body, even if that made her uncomfortable. All she wanted was rest.

"Get up, Dixie... We can't stop yet. Make your way to Dimble Wood," read Diddy.

"This is just the start of the leg, isn't it? I can't imagine how much longer this can go on..." Dixie said, exasperated.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"At least we managed to get the tooth back onto shore," said Peach happily.

Somehow, the two princesses managed to get into diving suits (With their puffy dresses on) AND secure the ropes around the tooth's roots and yank it out of the seafloor. With mind-boggling dexterity, the two princess heaved it back onto land and were now scrubbing it with bottles of detergent laying next to their feet.

"I bet no one would ever think that us, two dainty princesses, were capable of taking this task," Daisy stated.

Peach : We joined the race, not for the money – although as Daisy put it, it'd be a nice bonus – but rather for the experience, and to show that two women are able to keep up with men in any task if they put their minds to it.

Daisy : Yup! Girl power! Just because we're all prim and proper doesn't mean we can't leap into the mud...

Peach : That sounds like something you'd definitely do, Daisy, no matter what your status is.

Daisy : Oh, be quiet!

* * *

**King Boo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"There are the carrots... And hoo boy, there are mounds of them!" King Boo gasped, as he finally finished rappelling and was now gazing into the caverns beneath the Wiggler farm.

The tunnels had hundreds of thousands of carrots piling up the sides of the walls, and the tunnels themselves looked as if they stretched out for miles, or so it seemed according to the light coming from King Boo's mining helmet.

"And there are only ten carrots with a marker on them... This is PREPOSTEROUS!" King Boo couldn't help but shout the last word, as unbecoming as it might have seemed.

"Better start searching now, I suppose..."

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Currently in 2nd (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

After probably another thirty minutes wasted walking through the woods, the elderly couple finally made it to their destination : the Wiggler farm at the heart of the woods.

"Now THIS is the farm that we needed to go to all along!" Koopa exclaimed. The head Wiggler handed the daydreaming Koopa their next clue.

"I'll take that clue, if you don't mind," said Goomba, tugging the clue from Koopa's grasp.

"Roadblock! Who wants to search for buried treasure?"

Koopa snapped out of her reverie immediately at the sound of buried treasure.

"I say, I'd like to do this one, dear!"

"Are you sure? Remember that each of us have to to the same amount of roadblocks..." Goomba said cautiously.

"It won't be of any trouble at all," said Koopa, dropping her backpack as she read the rest of the clue.

"Not to you maybe..." Goomba muttered. "You do realize that you will have to be rappelling...?"

"Rappelling? Why, didn't I tell you that I was quite the mountaineer when I was younger?" Koopa told him derisively, wagging a finger at him.

Goomba shook his head. "Yes, but into the darkness? Will you be able to handle it, I'm afraid..."

The wrinkled smile on Koopa's face vanished in an instant. In a shocked voice, she whispered :

"D-Darkness?"

* * *

**King Boo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"Luckily for me, because I'm the first to get down here, the chances of me finding a market carrot is quite a bit greater compared to those teams behind us..." said King Boo, as something caught the corner of his eye amidst all of the red and green.

It was a patch of yellow. For such an anomaly to exist, there could be only one possible explanation...

"This is it! The carrot that I've been looking for..." King Boo mumbled.

Was it? That patch of yellow that King Boo spotted couldn't have been mistaken for any other color... It had to be the carrot that he was looking for! Unless...

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

"Ah-ha! Here we are!" grunted Wario. He shut the door of their taxi before it sped off into the distance.

"Yeeees... Here we are..." Waluigi muttered.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"This is taking forever... I can't stand this tension!" Noki said, as she sat by her red button while Pianta worked to find the next set of Boo-Walls.

"We've only found one set of the walls so far... I wonder how the other teams are doing..." Noki propped a hand onto her chin, resting her elbows on top of the Boo Ray machine.

**Mario & Luigi (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

The two brothers worked silently alongside one another, preferring not to talk but rather concentrate on the task at hand.

**Boo & Dry Bones (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"We're almost there, Dry Bones. Just one more set left, I believe," Boo encouraged his partner as Dry Bones scoured for the Boo-Walls.

"I-I'm trying the best I c-can..." Dry Bones told him.

Boo sighed. "I know. And that's all that I ask of you..."

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Dimble Wood, ? Shop)**

The engaged reptilians stared at the shop in front of them, speechless.

They certainly weren't expecting a shop in the middle of the woods, but there it was. A shop lying in a wayside clearing. Made out of bricks and question blocks. Birdo was the first one to recover, walking over to the empty counter and rapping the counter with the back of her hand.

"Hello? Is this Monsieur Broque's shop?" she called out.

There was no response.

"I don't think this is the right place," Yoshi said.

The two began to leave, unsure if this was the right place or not, but just as they were about to exit until an accented voice called after them.

"WAIT! Monsieur and Madame!"

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"Dear... I don't think I can do this..." Koopa said, wiping her forehead with anxiety while the Wiggler strapped the harness on. "I'm being completely honest here, dear..."

"Now now, I know that you're not bluffing," Goomba explained as he tried to console her. "Focus, honey. You can do this. It'll only be for a little while."

"This is too extreme for me... Oh, I can't take it," said Koopa, swooning. "Why, oh why, must there be darkness involved?"

**Petey Piranha (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

Petey was waiting patiently, sitting on a bench far, far away from the head Wiggler. However, as he watched Goomba and Koopa getting harnessed by another Wiggler and that the two of them seemed to argue for a bit, Petey couldn't help but frown as if he sensed something was wrong.

"Is there something wrong, or am I imagining things? Either way, I shouldn't get into their business," Petey said to himself.

Suddenly, Koopa started to swoon. Petey, startled, forgot all about his fear of Wigglers and ran to Koopa's side.

* * *

**King Boo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

An unripened carrot laid in King Boo's outstretched hands.

"This... is not what I'm looking for," said King Boo. Dismay could be clearly heard in his low voice. He tossed the carrot back into the pile.

"Back to the drawing board..." sighed King Boo, as he pushed away some regular, old carrots to search for one that was marked.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

"We're here," said Toadette. "At Dimble Wood!"

"It doesn't look that appealing," Toad admitted blandly.

A leaf suddenly flew over and landed on Toad's face. Toadette had to stifle a giggle.

"And that's what you get for saying that out loud," Toadette said, before heading into the forest.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Dimble Wood, Broque Monsieur and Broggy's Shop)**

"Why, bonjour, monsieur et madame! Welcome to Broque Monsieur and Broggy's Shop!" greeted a blocky, mustached fellow sitting behind the counter. "Mes excuses, I was cleaning out the bottom of my counter when you two arrived, and with these old bones I did not have much time to react..."

"Um, I'm still a mademoiselle, I believe," Birdo corrected him. She pointed at the large diamond ring on her finger. "We're engaged, you see."

"Ah, my mistake, mademoiselle! What can I do for you?" asked Broque Monsieur.

"You're Monsieur Broque?" Yoshi inquired.

"Folie! What is with all of this name-calling? I am Broque Monsieur, though, indeed, monsieur," Broque Monsieur explained.

"Er, sorry?" Yoshi replied hesitantly. "But um, do you have any maps for sale?"

"Maps? MAPS, you say? Of course I have them? For what place?" Broque Monsieur brandished bundles of maps from out of nowhere in front of their faces.

"Er, Dimble Wood..." answered Yoshi. "A detailed one, please... One that informs us of how to get to the central Wiggler Farm..."

"I have just the thing! Here you are." Broque Monsieur handed them a well-furnished map. "That'll be twenty-seven coins, s'il vous plaît!"

"A bit expensive, but we'll cough up," Birdo said, handing the blocky figure the coins. "We're rather short on time right now, and we'd prefer not to haggle."

"Ooh! Maybe I should have charged you more, then!" said Broque Monsieur disappointingly as he tilled the coins in an old register made out of blocks.

* * *

**Petey Piranha (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"Thank you, good sir."

Koopa was feeling much better and recovered from her near fainting, and was now lying on the bench Petey had sat earlier. Petey sat beside her, picking out some herbs that resided by the carrots growing in the carrot farm.

"It's not a problem at all," Petey said. "I just noticed that your wife seemed as if she was about to faint, and rushed towards you immediately. I'm glad that I was able to be of some assistance."

"You have, you certainly have," Goomba said, gazing at his wife's calmed expression. "Thank you ever so much... We just aren't able to take as much stress as we were decades prior to this race..."

"It's not your fault..." Petey comforted him. He picked out a few more herbs and handed them to Goomba. "Here. These are some herbs that have the same composition as the rejuvenating qualities of Refreshrooms. If she doesn't wake up within a few more minutes, you should try to waft the smell of these herbs around her nose. If you manage to lose them or if they lose their scent, you can try asking the head Wiggler for more. I'm sure he has some more lying around the carrot farm."

"Thank you," Goomba said once more. "Really, I can't thank you enough."

Petey gave the Goomba a toothy smile.

"Well, I'm sure the production team has their own first-aid kits ready in case of an emergency," Petey told him, breaking the fourth wall quite _necessarily_.

* * *

**King Boo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

King Boo had searched for a half-mile now, probably. He could barely see the ropes and streaks of light coming down from the hole he had gone through earlier. But finally, King Boo found something that caught his eyes once more.

"Is this it?"

King Boo was holding a carrot in front of him. He felt a tag that was tied around the stem of the leaves that protruded from the top of the carrot. To make sure that he was taking the right carrot, however, King Boo placed the carrot on the floor and faced downwards so that the beam of light from his mining helmet landed right on the carrot.

Sure enough, it had the marked tag on it : red and yellow. Feeling a sense of exhilaration, King Boo snatched the carrot back up and grasping tightly onto it, floated back towards the hole.

King Boo : I was definitely glad that I was a Boo at that point... My keen eyes in the darkness were probably what saved the day!

"And so far, I haven't seen anyone else enter these caves yet... Boy, we just may be in first," King Boo whispered to himself as he floated as fast as he could.

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Heh! Look, Wario! Those two oldies are scared stiff! We caught up," said Waluigi, smirking.

"Why did we need to catch up with them anyways? They're so old for crying out loud, we should've been ahead of them!" Wario grumbled.

"Either way, we still have a way to overtake them," Waluigi said, snickering annoyingly.

Wario rolled his eyes.

**Goomba & Koopa (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"That was awfully nice of him to do that for me... for us," said Koopa, as she found herself sitting upright on a bench with an aching head.

"It was." Goomba blinked.

"Take your time regaining your senses, dearie. I know you continue with this roadblock," Goomba said soothingly to his wife. "You can close your eyes and do it, and you'll be done in a flash."

Koopa nodded, letting out a small sigh.

"Take your time, honey," Goomba repeated. "There is nothing wrong with being scared... But what's most important is being able to face your fears."

The old woman shook her head, showing signs of weariness and fatigue for the first time this leg, and none of her buoyancy and uplifting cheeriness. It wasn't difficult to realize that Koopa had a fear of the dark.

"If you can't do it, Koopa... We could always take the four hour penalty..." Goomba said to her. "It's your decision, not mine."

After a minute or so of contemplation, Koopa stirred. She said :

"I'll do it, my dear husband. For you. For us. And for myself..."

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 3rd (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for buried treasure?" Waluigi read aloud.

The two brothers looked at each other. Clearly both of them wanted to do this challenge.

"I'll do this one... You've already done a roadblock," Wario decided for them, taking the clue from Waluigi as he headed to an empty hole.

**Petey Piranha (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

Petey was by the hole, waiting for King Boo to pop out any second now. He had heard the joyous call of his voice from the tunnel entrance. That could only mean that King Boo found the carrot they were looking for.

Sure enough, within minutes, King Boo came out of the hole, brandishing the carrot in front of him victoriously.

"Great job, Professor!" Petey cheered, as King Boo was being unstrapped by the Wigglers.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : Currently in 1st (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"Here you are," said King Boo, handing the carrot to the head Wiggler, who checked it quickly before handing them their next clue.

"Ride a bus to your next pit stop... Cavi Cape!" Petey declared.

Teams must now head on over to Cavi Cape by riding a bus, which, if they followed directions by simply taking a bus to their destination, will bring them to a particular cliff on Cavi Cape, one of the highest points in the Mushroom Kingdom that overlooks Plack Beach. It is here, located precariously near the edge of the cliff where hotels and a small village populated by the ancient Borps, where the next pit stop will be. The last team to arrive may be eliminated.

"Cavi Cape? By bus... We'd better get our map out. You have it right, Petey?" King Boo asked.

"Got it!" Petey said, pulling the map they had used earlier out of a rucksack.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Dimble Wood, Inner Path)**

After walking in a straight path – or sticking to a straight path whenever they could – for thirty minutes and not finding any sort of farm, the two Toads were beginning to get worried.

"Toadette... I hate to say this, but I think we're lost..." Toad muttered, flinching whenever a bird cawed or branch cracked under his feet.

"Nonsense. We'll be there any second now," said Toadette, propelling herself forward without the least doubt.

Toad sighed. Since when has saying those words ever helped?

**Diddy & Dixie (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

"Come on, Dixie. We must be getting close to the end now," Diddy said optimistically.

"There's going to be a Roadblock to do, probably," Dixie reasoned with a sigh.

"It'll be all right." Diddy winked at her. He put an arm around Dixie's shoulders.

Dixie pushed his arm away. She was obviously discontent with their current situation.

"Diddy, I don't know a single girl that likes having a guy's heavy arm around their shoulders. Just drop it, okay?"

Diddy seemed taken aback, but only for a moment. He crossed his arms and looked away.

* * *

**Koopa (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Tunnel)**

"Ohhhh..." Koopa moaned as she slowly let herself drop inch by inch down the hole. She shut her eyes tightly as she made her descent.

"This is not something a Koopa like me should be doing at such an old age..."

**Wario (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Tunnel)**

Wario grunted as he bounced off of the tunnel wall, making quick progress and being bound to hit solid ground within a matter of seconds. For such an overweight man, he could definitely pull his weight when it's necessary.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 4th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"It's big, bad, and..." Yoshi started with an incredulous look.

"Orange?" Birdo finished for her partner.

"That's a huge carrot..." commented Yoshi. "Are we going to be eating that?"

The head Wiggler walked over to them and shook his head. On top of one of his 'segments' rested a yellow and red clue envelope. The two reptilians realized what it was at once.

"Ah, so there's the clue! We came to the right place after all. That map definitely helped!" Birdo exclaimed joyfully before taking the clue from the head Wiggler.

"That salesman was quite the quirky fellow, though," Yoshi said, tearing open the clue in a hurry. They obviously noticed that there were two other teams whom they were going to be competing against.

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for buried treasure?" continued Yoshi.

Birdo dropped her backpack off of her sore shoulders with a comforted sigh.

"I guess I'll do it. I need to stretch a bit anyways," said Birdo.

* * *

**Koopa (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"It's... quite dark..."

Koopa ambled slowly through the caverns of the Wiggler farm, the only comfortable source of light coming from the bulb on her helmet. The old lady couldn't help but shiver and tremble at the sight of not the thousands of carrots, but rather the impending darkness that awaited her.

"I really hope that I find that carrot soon..." She whispered to herself, clutching onto her shell-topped cane tight enough so that her knuckles turned white.

**Wario (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"Better get this over quick... That old crone is still ahead of me even though she's trembling in fear," Wario grumbled.

Wario walked to the center to search for carrots instead of searching at the beginning.

"Because it's more likely the carrots are cleverly hidden farther in the tunnel instead of being right at the beginning, which someone else might have taken already..." Wario said cleverly.

* * *

**Birdo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"Wish me luck, dear!" Birdo said to Yoshi before the Wiggler let her go.

"Good luck!" Yoshi called back, watching her from the top as she slowly climbed down.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Dimble Wood, Inner Path)**

After another fifteen minutes of hopelessly walking through the forest without the aid of a navigational tool such as a compass or map, Toad felt that he could not ignore the plight of their situation any further.

"Toadette..."

"Yes?"

Toad stared at her. "We're lost! In the middle of... somewhere." complained Toad. "Toadette, we _need_ to find a map if we want to continue further."

Toadette sighed before shrugging her shoulders. "Fine... I guess that this really is going nowhere... But where would we find a map?"

"I think I spotted a sign advertising a store right by the entrance of Dimble Wood... I just didn't take that much note of it..."

"Well, there's nothing to do but backtrack now," said Toadette, turning around and walking the way they came. "It's lucky we stuck to a straight path or going back might be even more difficult..."

* * *

**Koopa / Wario (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"Too many carrots... Too much darkness," Koopa groaned. She pushed past carrots that were blocking her way from seeing other ones.

Koopa : The darkness by itself was something that chilled me to my bones, but the sight of so many carrots didn't exactly relieve me from my fears... I've never liked carrots when I was a child, and I sure don't like them now.

Wario searched and searched for any signs of a marked carrot in the middle of the tunnel, his greedy and speedy eyes ready to spot anything out of the ordinary.

"As soon as I see something suspicious, I'll snatch it up, and BAM...!" Wario muttered to himself.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta / Boo & Dry Bones / Mario & Luigi (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Isn't this nerve-wracking?" Boo said to his partner, smirking. "The three of us are probably fighting to get out of last place right now, if no one else is working on the other detour... and I can't see why anyone would go for the other one, it seems too strenuous..."

"B-Boo, please focus..." Dry Bones begged. He was trying his hardest to find that last set of Boo-Walls they so desperately needed.

"Pianta, I don't want to think of us being in last place... We've been hanging by a thread ever since the beginning of this leg, and I can only think that it's getting thinner..." Noki said wearily as she rested on top of the machine with the red button.

"Bro, is that it?" Luigi asked, pointing at a suspicious barrier set between the large and small intestine of their patient.

"Yes... It is! Hurry, before it escapes!" Mario said, slamming down onto the button, firing a beam of light onto the Boo-Walls.

The other two teams' interest perked when they heard the commotion.

"Did they finish?" asked Noki.

**Mario & Luigi (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

Dr. Toadley came by to see what the hubbub was about.

"Are you two done?" Dr. Toadley asked them.

Mario and Luigi blinked stupidly for a moment.

"Er, I think so..."

Dr. Toadley bent over the patient and placed a stethoscope on its chest. After examining its entire body, Dr. Toadley announced :

"Yep. You're finished. Well done! Of course, I knew that you would finish from the start..."

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 7th (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"I didn't think we'd get that lucky," said Luigi disbelievingly.

"Make your way to Dimble Wood," Mario said.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Scrubbing all of that grime off took longer than pulling it out of the seafloor!" Peach exclaimed. She wiped her forehead with the towel she was using only to realize a second later that it was covered with grime. She screamed and threw the towel onto the sand.

"Gross!" Peach immediately dove back into the water to rinse her forehead of that icky, black gooey mess.

Daisy didn't have the energy to laugh at her; all she wanted was the clue. The Toad Diver handed it to them once Daisy handed back the tools they used to clean the tooth, along with the diving suits.

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : Currently in 8th (Plack Beach, Docks)**

"Make your way to Dimble Wood," Daisy read aloud, while her partner was still wiping her forehead with a fresh, clean towel this time.

"I really need some facial cleanser..." Peach babbled, running a hand through her sopping wet hair.

* * *

**Koopa / Wario (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"I think I see a carrot..." Koopa said wearily. "But maybe it's my eyes playing tricks on me..."

She reached for a carrot placed at the very top of a high pile of carrots, which almost touched the roof of the cavern. Unfortunately, she could not reach it with her spindly arms.

"Oh dear. I cannot reach it..." Koopa admitted. "I suppose I will have to climb this pile...? Oh, thank heavens that I have found it so quickly... Finally I can get out of this forsaken place..."

Wario noticed that Koopa was trying to reach for something just then.

"Don't tell me she already found one... at the beginning of the tunnel?" Wario was shocked that his clever plan was foiled... by a measly old Koopa!

**Koopa (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"I shall surprise my dear husband," Koopa said tiredly, but with a faint smile on her face. She began the long climb back up to the surface. "I'm so glad I got that over with..."

* * *

**Goomba / Waluigi / Yoshi (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"Who's coming out of the hole now, so soon?" Goomba inquired.

"I don't think it's Birdo... She couldn't have gotten it that quickly," Yoshi admitted.

"Peh! It's probably my brother. He's a master at finding needles in a haystack," Waluigi scoffed.

"You mean a – " Goomba began to say.

"It's a figure of SPEECH!" Waluigi screeched.

"Oh, look. It's..." Yoshi interrupted, pointing at the hole where a person with a hat popped out of the hole.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"Koopa!" Goomba exclaimed.

"Dear... I'm so sorry, but I just couldn't handle the darkness..." Koopa said, falling into Goomba's arms.

"R-Really?" Goomba frowned.

Koopa suddenly thrust the carrot into Goomba's face. "Nope, I'm just teasing you!"

Goomba was shocked. Then he was happy. "You did it after all! I'm so proud of you, honey!"

The old lady could only chuckle at his response.

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : Currently in 2nd (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Thank you," said Goomba as he accepted the clue from the head Wiggler.

"Ride a bus to your next pit stop, Cavi Cape!" Koopa declared happily. The stress and fear on her face was now long gone, and now it showed nothing but relief and contentment.

"Shall we go, dear?" Goomba asked his wife.

"Yes, let's!"

* * *

**Toad & Toadette (Dimble Wood, Broque Monsieur and Broggy's Shop)**

This time, Broque Monsieur was ready to serve his customers.

"Bonjour! How may I help you?" Broque Monsieur inquired of them.

"Um, hi! We'd like a map for..." Toadette started to say.

"Dimble Wood?" Broque Monsieur interrupted. Toadette nodded. "You two are the second duo today to ask for one... That'll be twenty-seven coins, please!"

"That seems like a lot... But we have enough to spare," Toad said, tossing a bundle of coins onto the counter.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Currently in 5th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for treasure?" read Dixie.

"I'll do it," Dixie said. "Don't let's argue... I want to get this over with."

"You can do it," said Diddy sportingly.

**Dixie (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"Here goes..." Dixie started to rappel down the tunnel as she was instructed to do so.

Dixie : I didn't even feel any fear or nervousness at that moment... I just felt so tired. Whether or not that was a good thing or bad thing, I don't know.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

The two professors, in their search for a bus that will bring them to Cavi Cape, stumbled upon a small village located right beside Blubble Lake. It was a peaceful place, and had that rural, comfortable quality about it.

"That was a long trek," panted Petey. It was indeed a long trek, from Dimble Wood to Blubble Lake. The distance they traveled must have been about two miles or so, not counting the distance it took to get out of the Wiggler Carrot Farm to back outside of Dimble Wood. With no taxis or cabs in sight, the two professors had no choice but to walk on foot.

"There there, we're almost there," King Boo consoled. "We just need to ask these villagers if they know of a nearby bus station."

King Boo tapped on the shoulder of a pigtailed Toad standing right in front of them, working on a garden of sorts.

"Excuse me, Miss, but would you know of any bus stations nearby, or perhaps someone else that will be able to direct – "

The Toad turned around at that moment to see who was talking to her and upon seeing the rather scary visage of King Boo in broad daylight... It scared the wits out of her.

"G-G-GHOOOOST!" She screamed, running away as fast as her little feet would take her. King Boo twitched.

"I suppose the villagers won't be able to help us, then," Petey said dejectedly. He watched the Toad girl go around each house in the village screaming her head off that a ghost was coming to haunt them or whatever ghosts do these days.

"Do... Do I really look that scary?" King Boo muttered, more to himself than to Petey.

* * *

**Wario / Birdo / Dixie (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"Just marvelous. There's enough Vitamin A in here for 20/20 vision for your entire life," Birdo said jokingly, digging through the carrots while in awe at the sheer multitude of them.

"I'm not going to let a few girls beat me when I beat them in getting here," Wario grumbled, forcing himself to search a pile of undisturbed carrots farther down in the tunnel.

Dixie kept to herself and refrained from talking, preferring to save her waning energy in finding one of eight carrots she desperately desired.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 9th (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"Finally. I can't imagine how long that took," said Boo, taking the clue from Dr. Toadley. "Make your way to Dimble Wood."

"I-I c-can't believe that we've only g-gone through one task..." Dry Bones said wonderingly.

"There's no time to lose your head about it now, Dry Bones. Save it for when we _do_ get eliminated. We're not out of this yet," Boo told him harshly.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

"It seems that we're really in last now..." Noki mumbled. "Why can't we find that last set of Boo-Walls, for Petey's sake?"

"Pete, you mean," Pianta corrected.

"Pete, Petey, it's all the same... We're going to get eliminated," Noki pouted.

"Don't be like that. There's still a chance we'll be in," Pianta said. "Maybe another team is having trouble at the other detour. And besides, we're almost done. If we finish now, we'll only have to catch up a little bit."

* * *

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : Currently in 6th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

The two Toads achingly took their clue from the Wiggler, having traversed through much of the forest and being fully acquainted with all of its scenery. In fact, the two Toads have even seen some Sockops, which appear rarely within the forest and typically keep to their own territory.

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for buried treasure?" Toadette read with just an ounce of enthusiasm left in her voice.

"I don't mind looking for treasure. Why don't we even up the roadblock count for each of us?" Toad suggested.

Toadette shrugged. "Sure. This seems perfect for you anyways, since you seem to be so good at falling into things."

Toad glared at her. It was obviously a jab at his falling off of the ferry earlier that morning. As if people didn't make mistakes. He snatched the clue away from her and marched towards the hole where everyone that was not doing the roadblock was crowded around.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

In the end, it was Petey that did the interrogating. Being slightly less intimidating than King Boo, Petey told King Boo to hide somewhere so that he doesn't startle any more villagers.

"Ah, so the bus station is right over there? Thank you very much, madam."

The young, pony-tailed Koopa smiled and told him that it was no problem at all. King Boo hid behind a trash can, peeking behind it to see Petey's progress.

"King Boo, there's supposedly a bus station right along the end of this path, on the opposite side of the village. Do you want to take an outside path to avoid being seen by the villagers?"

King Boo shook his giant, crowned head. "No, let them be. So what if they're afraid of my visage? We're hurrying to the pit stop anyways, and we shouldn't take a detour just for the sake of modesty."

"I don't think that 'modesty' is the perfect word for this situation, but I agree with your decision. Let's hurry along, then."

* * *

**Mario & Luigi (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

"Where do we need to go again, Mario?"

Mario whipped out the clue they brought along with them.

"To the heart of the forest... Heart equals center, so we're looking for a farm in the center of the forest," said Mario, putting two and two together from the route info.

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

"Pardon me, but do you know of any bus stations around here? We could really use one, and it'd be simply splendid if you're able to help us..." Koopa said charmingly to a Toad salesman sitting in a humble shop by the wayside.

The Toad stared at Koopa, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she batting her eyelashes at him? The Goomba standing him certainly looked aggravated at what she was trying to do.

"Er, yeah. There's a bus station on the other side of town," said the Toad, pointing a finger at somewhere in the distance.

Koopa nodded and took a mental note of where he was pointing. She laid a hand on the Toad's hand and said :

"Thank you very much, dear. I'm sure you'll grow up into a fine young man."

With that, Koopa left the stall, leaving a disgruntled Goomba following behind her. The Toad seemed a bit disgusted and shocked.

"But... I'm already in my mid-thirties..." grumbled the Toad. "What did she mean by 'young man'?"

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 7th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for buried treasure?" said Luigi. He turned to his brother. "I don't think that this task sounds like it's for me..."

Mario raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I'll do it."

Luigi handed him the envelope containing the clue. "I hope we're not making a bad decision here."

* * *

**Wario / Birdo / Dixie / Toad / Mario (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

Wario had given up on his plan of searching the middle areas when no marked carrots turned up. He joined the other teams at the beginning of the tunnel, making sure to grumble as loud as he could while he searched.

"It's really getting a bit crowded in here," said Birdo. She glanced at Wario. "I feel the teensiest bit sorry for him, he was here before I came and he's still searching for a carrot... But I've been here for quite a while too."

"Please, lord, give me a carrot..." Dixie begged, as her eyelids started to feel heavy and her body weary.

"Eurgh. Now I know why I hate vegetables so much," Toad said, as a carrot fell off the top of a particularly high pile and landed right on his face. He swatted it away. "Better not let Toadette hear that though, she loves veggies... For some odd reason."

"There are so many carrots here, not to mention the darkness... I think it was a wise decision for me to do this roadblock," Mario reasoned. "Luigi's going to have to do the next one though."

* * *

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Currently in Last (Yikk Tower, Toadley Clinic)**

Dr. Toadley smiled at the two islanders with slight pity as he handed them their next clue. The patient they were working on eagerly got up from the seat for some well-earned stretching and rest.

"Make your way to Dimble Wood," Noki read. "My gosh, I'm ecstatic that we can finally leave this place! It can't get any worse than this."

"Have faith." Pianta consoled.

"You sound like a preacher."

"Is that so bad?" said Pianta jokingly.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy (Dimble Wood Outskirts)**

"We're here..." sighed Peach. Her hair had dried off but became noticeably poofier in the meantime.

"I sense that we're going to do some gardening," said Daisy mischievously. "After all, we're going to a farm, of all places."

"Reminds me of a gardening simulator I've played before," Peach remarked.

"...Gardening simulator? Are you serious?"

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

"Is that the bus coming?" King Boo asked. He could see a vehicle coming towards them from the horizon.

Petey squinted his already squinted eyes. "I believe so."

**Goomba & Koopa (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

"Ah, there's the bus station, darling!" Koopa pointed at the bus station that was fifty or so meters away from them.

"Ooh! Let's hurry," said Goomba, trotting along at the fastest pace his feet would allow.

"You don't need to say that again!" Koopa agreed, pulling the mud-covered turtleneck a bit higher along her neck and following Goomba.

* * *

**Wario / Birdo / Dixie / Toad / Mario (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

All of the people searching were covered in mud, grime, and bits of carrots as they pillaged through one pile after another, trying to find those elusive, marked carrots.

"This isn't easy at all..." said Toad sadly.

"We're supposed to find a red and yellow tag amongst all of this orange?" Dixie asked incredulously. Her voice rose to a screeching high-pitch of hysterics, and her eyes were slightly bloodshot. "Red and yellow create orange, for crying out loud! That tag is like... impossible to find!"

"Oh, no. It's certainly possible, alright!"

Four heads turned towards one direction. They could immediately see someone holding a carrot in the air, with a tag tied around the stem. Before they could register the thought of the carrots actually existing, that person holding the marked carrot fled back towards the entrance of the tunnels, whooping triumphantly at their discovery.

**Waluigi / Yoshi / Diddy / Toadette / Luigi (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"I can hear someone..." remarked Luigi suddenly.

"Who is it? Is it my brother? Tell me that it is!" Waluigi demanded.

"If it's Dixie, I'll be happy," said Diddy. "I know she's working her hardest."

"That goes the same for my partner too, bub!" Toadette said indignantly, the color rising up to her cheeks. "Toad is trying the best that he can, I'm sure!"

"I never said that he wasn't..." Diddy said sheepishly.

A voice from beside Diddy spoke up. "I'm sorry, but don't get all of your hopes up. I'd recognize that voice anywhere..."

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"...And that person is my fiancée!" Yoshi exclaimed, as Birdo jumped out of the hole and into his arms. Yoshi returned the gesture by hugging her fiercely.

Birdo was speechless, and rested in her lover's arms contentedly, showing no desire to break free. Despite being covered in dirt, Yoshi refused to let her go. Jealous stares could be seen from all around the hole to the caverns as the other contestants wished that their partners were the one that were fortunate enough to complete the objective.

"Let's go get our clue, shall we?" Yoshi suggested. Birdo could only nod, the carrot clutched tightly in her hand.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : Currently in 3rd (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"You did it, Birdo!" Yoshi shouted, clearly elated at their win. He tore open the clue. "Ride a bus to your next pit stop : Cavi Cape!"

"Let us hurry, dear. Oh, I can't express how good it feels to be safe," said Birdo breathlessly.

* * *

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : Currently in 8th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"There are the other t-teams... We caught up after all, D-Daisy!" Peach stuttered in wonder.

The two princesses were filled with relief once they saw that most of the teams were with them.

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for buried treasure?" Daisy said.

Daisy faced her best friend. "Can I do this one, Peach? I think it'd be fun to search for treasure!"

Peach nodded. "Sure. Do it quickly, though! We could still get last!" She watched the princess of flowers dash away at an alarming speed to the hole the others were crowded around.

"I think I'll go join them..." Peach muttered to herself. "But first, I think I'm going to ask the head Wiggler if they have a washroom around here."

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

"This bus goes to Cavi Cape, correct?"

Their bus driver was a gloomy Goomba – but not a Gloomba – who nodded in confirmation of his query. King Boo gave him a toothy smile before climbing up onto the bus, where there were plenty of free seats. Petey followed him closely.

"It seems that we're the only team to get on, so far. How nice!" said Petey.

King Boo was looking out the window. His eyes became dots, probably because of the sunlight and enhanced lighting. "Hopefully we're still in first."

**Goomba & Koopa (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

"Oh dear," Koopa said, watching the bus leave before their very eyes.

Goomba stopped trotting. He turned around. "No, honey, it's 'Oh no'."

"That means we'll have to wait for the next bus..." said Goomba.

"What a disappointment," Koopa sighed, slowing her pace since they knew that the next bus won't come for a while.

* * *

**Wario / Dixie / Toad / Mario / Daisy (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"Spelunking has never been more enjoyable," Daisy said, joining the other players in the search for the marked carrot.

Daisy (Solo) : I'm a girl that doesn't mind to get down and dirty. But Peach will never hear that coming from me directly, ha!

Two yells came simultaneously. Three other heads whisked around.

"I think I've got it..."

"Is this it?"

"You can't be serious now! Two people find it at once?"

"Talk about lucky..."

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : Currently in 4th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"You took your time with that, didn't you?" Waluigi was grumbling and bumbling about. "You took ages!"

Wario scowled and thrust the carrot into the head Wiggler's face. "Be glad that only one other team left before us."

"I sure hope it's only one... Because that'll make us second," Waluigi muttered. "I want to claim first..."

Ignoring him, Wario tore open the clue and read the words that rang the beginning of the end. "Ride a bus to your next pit stop, Cavi Cape."

"Sounds great! By bus? Looks like we have no choice..." Waluigi said, happy to find another topic to be surly about.

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : Currently in 5th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Yay!" Toadette yelled once she saw a domed red-spotted head erupt from the hole. She smiled sheepishly at him. "How did you find it so fast?"

"I got lucky," Toad said simply. The clue was handed to them by the head Wiggler.

"Ride a bus to your next pit stop, Cavi Cape!" Toad announced.

"Cavi Cape? Is that short for Cavity Cape?" Toadette joked as she strapped her bag around her shoulder.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 9th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"I'm not that fond of c-carrots..." Dry Bones muttered.

Boo shook his wrist before taking the clue from the head Wiggler. "My wrist is so sore from directing that machine for so long... And you say you don't like carrots, Dry Bones? Well, maybe it's a good thing that you said that, because..."

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for buried treasure?" Boo read from the clue. He glanced at his skeletal partner. "I'm guessing that I'm going to do this one this time?"

"I-If you don't mind."

"No, I'd rather not," said Boo. Dry Bones looked stricken. Boo glared at him for a moment, before breaking into a laugh. "I'm just kidding. I'm not that much of a jerk to do that to a friend."

Dry Bones blinked. Boo placed a sore hand on his shoulder.

"I'll do this one, buddy. It sounds like it fits me better anyways; I can't imagine someone like you exploring the land for hidden treasure like an Indiana Bones," said Boo happily.

* * *

**Yoshi & Birdo (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

"There's the bus station. At least public transportation is marked on our simplified map," Birdo commented.

"Yup! And aren't those the elders?" Yoshi pointed out.

**Goomba & Koopa / Yoshi & Birdo (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

They found the married couple sitting in the shaded stall that was the bus station.

"Oh, hello there!" Koopa greeted.

Goomba stood up and shook their hands. "Yoshi and Birdo, correct? We've never really had a chance to become acquainted with one another yet."

"It's nice to meet you... – " Yoshi began, unsure of what to call them.

"Goomba!" Goomba finished for him.

"And Koopa!" said Koopa. "Those are our surnames, if you're that curious.

"Yoshi and Birdo are ours too," Birdo explained.

"So, I'm assuming you've finished the task so far?" Goomba asked of them. "You two must have some pretty sharp eyes or were just plain lucky, then! I think Koopa and I had the latter. Keen eyesight isn't a strength of ours, I'm afraid."

"Really? That's interesting. From what we saw when we left, there were still quite a few teams left..."

* * *

**Wario & Waluigi (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

"The bus station is over there," said Waluigi.

"Got it."

**Toad & Toadette (Blubble Lake, Lakeside Village)**

"Ah, so the buses here all go through the same transit? That's nice to know, thanks!" Toadette thanked a Goomba businessman.

"We have to go to the opposite side of the village," said Toad, flicking some specks of dirt and carrots off of his head and shoulders.

* * *

**Dixie / Mario / Daisy / Boo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"I can't go on for much longer... A minute's worth of rest would be – No, Dixie! Keep yourself awake..." Dixie mumbled to herself, her eyelids beginning to droop.

"Mama mia..." Mario muttered. A carrot pelted him on the nose, much to his discomfort.

"I don't think that I would ever say this, but I'm really starting to dislike orange..." complained Daisy.

"Red and yellow... Red and yellow is all I need to search for. I can ignore everything else," Boo said to himself, his wiry eyes scanning through both disrupted and undisturbed piles of carrots.

* * *

**Petey Piranha & King Boo (Mushroom Interstate)**

"Well, there's the pit stop," said King Boo. He poked Petey on the stomach, who was sleeping during the bus ride.

"Petey, wake up. We're here."

* * *

**Goomba & Koopa / Yoshi & Birdo (Mushroom Interstate)**

"It feels awfully nice to have a nice, smooth bus ride after such a long journey today, doesn't it?" Koopa asked her new acquaintances.

Yoshi and Birdo nodded in agreement.

"Is that the pit stop I see?" Goomba said suddenly, when a stretch of purple rock came into the distance.

* * *

**? (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)**

"Welcome to Cavi Cape!" greeted the Borp, presumably a female with its high-pitched voice and luscious pink flowers resting on its head instead of the usual yellow ones.

"Thank you."

"Petey Piranha & King Boo..." Rosetta began, staring at them with a gleam in her eye.

"Yes...?" King Boo urged her to continue on.

"Get ready to celebrate, because you're team number ONE!" she finished, bellowing the last word and thrusting her hands into the air with joy.

**Petey Piranha & King Boo – Friends : 1st Place, 5:45 P.M.**

King Boo's eyes widened. Petey Piranha seemed as if he was going to faint.

"Yes... And that's not all! As winners of the second leg of the race, you two have each won a 5,000 coin prize that you will be able to spend on anything that you desire!" said Rosetta, beaming at them and their mirth.

Petey Piranha really did faint now, as he conked his head on the floor, creating a slight tremor that knocked Rosetta and the Borp off of their feet.

King Boo smiled and helped his partner back up.

"That's simply wonderful," said the crowned professor. "Thank you!"

King Boo : I know that we had a pretty flawless leg that time around, but even then, I was surprised that we actually claimed first! The physically weak, travel inexperienced professors and scholars... winning a leg? Surely this goes to show that any team has the potential to win.

Petey Piranha : You can imagine the shock I must have felt when I fainted then and there. It... was stunning, needless to say.

* * *

**Dixie / Mario / Daisy / Boo (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"How many carrots are left? Five? We have to pick out one of these carrots among what, a million others? This is crazy," Dixie said, panting heavily, her clothes reeking of fertilizer and sweat.

"This would be a good time to panic, I'd say," Daisy spoke in a muffled tone.

Another triumphant shout broke the gloomy and hopeless atmosphere. A masculine shout. Dixie and Daisy couldn't help but frown at being beaten to the punch... or rather, carrot.

"I have it here! Yes!"

**Diddy / Luigi / Peach / Dry Bones (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"The tension is so thick that you could cut it up with a knife," joked Diddy, trying to break the silence between the remaining teams. Unfortunately, no one seemed to appreciate his lighthearted behavior and glared at Diddy, successfully shutting him down.

"No need to be so grouchy..."

"I-I think I hear someone..." spoke Dry Bones.

"Who is it this time?" Peach wondered with a tinge of hopelessness noticeable in her voice.

* * *

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : Currently in 6th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"I knew that you could do it quick, bro!"

Mario smiled. "Ride a bus to your next pit stop : Cavi Cape!"

Luigi frowned. "Cavi Cape? I don't remember ever going there..."

* * *

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Currently in Last (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"We're finally here, Pianta! And oh my goodness YES, there are still three other teams here! I think we just may have a chance," Noki said happily.

"Honestly, if we had a map from the map store, we wouldn't have asked for one in the first place..." Noki scoffed.

"Roadblock. Who wants to search for buried treasure?" Pianta read, the sapling on his head shaking slightly.

"I can do this one," Noki said confidently. "It sounds like my kind of thing."

"Okay. Take your time and don't get stressed out," Pianta consented.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette / Wario & Waluigi (Mushroom Interstate)**

"We're stuck with them again? Blargh. At least it's only for a little while," Toadette muttered to Toad.

"Whatever," Toad grumbled. He looked out of the window instead of his partner.

"Let's find a seat closer to the front, Waluigi. Then we can exit the bus faster," Wario suggested quietly to his brother.

"But there are doors in the middle of the bus too, remember. We just need to find a spot near one of those doors..."

* * *

? / ? (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)

The next two teams ran off of their bus and sprinted for the pit stop map. One team overtook the other easily and happily, satisfyingly jumped to where Rosetta and the Borp greeter was standing.

"Welcome to Cavi Cape."

"Thanks!"

"It's a pleasure."

"Yoshi & Birdo... Congratulations, you're team number two!" Rosetta exclaimed.

**Yoshi & Birdo – Engaged : 2nd Place, 5:57 P.M.**

"Second? We'll take it," Yoshi replied with a charming smile.

"That's great," Birdo said, clapping her hands joyfully at the news.

Yoshi and Birdo stepped aside as the next team took their time coming up to the map, knowing that they were outmatched.

"Goomba & Koopa. You're the third team to arrive!"

**Goomba & Koopa – Married : 3rd Place, 5:58 P.M.**

Koopa hugged her husband tightly. "Oh, dear... I'm feeling woozy. And it's not the aftershock from the carrot-searching challenge, either!"

"I'm so proud of you, honey," Goomba said to his wife. "This is better than we could ever have asked for."

"Good... Good job, young'uns," Goomba congratulated to Yoshi and Birdo.

"To you as well," Yoshi replied respectfully, walking over to the elderly couple and shaking their hands. Birdo came over to do the same.

Rosetta nudged the Borp at her side. "Such good sportsmanship they have, don't they?" Rosetta sighed, staring at the two teams in front of her dreamingly.

* * *

**Dixie / Daisy / Boo / Noki (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"Another team just arrived? Oh no, then this has to be everyone... I don't want to get last..." Dixie whispered.

"I searched through that pile already... And that one..." Daisy muttered. She was grasping her hair and seemed as if she wanted to pull it out, her eyes bulging slightly.

"It certainly feels like a race now... A race to find the golden carrot," Boo remarked.

"This is a lot of carrots..." said Noki, as she began to search alongside the other players.

* * *

**Toad & Toadette / Wario & Waluigi (Cavi Cape, Cliffside Bus Station)**

"There's the Pit Stop!" Toadette exclaimed, as she spotted Rosetta and the Borp merely meters away from them. "Hurry up, Toad!"

"Wario! It's the end of the line!" Waluigi called after his brother.

* * *

**? (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)**

The next team held their hands before jumping onto the mat, expressions of confidence and joy etched across their faces.

"Welcome to Cavi Cape," said the Borp.

"It's beautiful here."

"Sorta desolate, though."

"Don't be rude!"

Rosetta chuckled. "Toad & Toadette... You're team number four!"

**Toad & Toadette – Best Friends : 4th Place, 6:14 P.M.**

"Fourth is fine with us," said Toad. He dodged a nudge from Toadette as she tried to reprimand him for his rude comment earlier.

**Wario & Waluigi (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)**

"Geez! Those two Toads can run faster than a pair of Bandits making off with some loot," grumbled Wario, as he and his partner stepped onto the mat unenthusiastically.

"It'd be nice if we had more loot ourselves..." said Waluigi, ignoring the Borp standing by the mat as it tried to find an opening to greet them. Unfortunately, such an opening never came.

Rosetta paused for a moment before saying, "Um... Wario & Waluigi, you're the fifth team to arrive."

**Wario & Waluigi – Brothers : 5th Place, 6:16 P.M.**

"Fifth?" Waluigi groaned, slapping his forehead in clear disappointment at their placement.

"After what I've gone through today, fifth's not that bad..." Wario mumbled. Waluigi glared at him with a look of disgust and disbelief.

* * *

**Dixie / Daisy / Boo / Noki (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

"I don't believe it! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! I found it! I FOUND IT!" screeched a voice.

"Don't tell me..."

"You've got to be kidding!"

"What a loud voice... Better concentrate on finding that carrot, still..." Boo grumbled.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : Currently in 7th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Oh, Diddy! I thought I was going to be stuck there forever!" Dixie said to her boyfriend. In a leap reminiscent to that of Birdo's earlier, the blond-haired Kong jumped into her lover's arms.

"You did it, Dixie!" said Diddy happily. With Dixie still in his arms, Diddy walked over to the head Wiggler and exchanged the carrot for their clue.

"Ride a bus to your next pit stop, Cavi Cape," Diddy read. He looked down at Dixie. She seemed as if she could fall asleep at any moment.

"I know it's going to be hard, Dixie, but stay awake for just a little longer. Once we get on the bus, you can rest there," Diddy said slowly and soothingly to her.

Dixie looked up. "Sure."

* * *

**Mario & Luigi (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)**

"Welcome to Cavi Cape."

"Thanks-a-lot!"

"Mario & Luigi..." Rosetta glared at them for a moment before breaking into a smile. "You're team number six!"

**Mario & Luigi – Brothers : 6th Place, 6:21 P.M.**

"Sixth? We caught up, bro!" Luigi said to his brother in clear surprise.

"You had us worried there for a second, Miss-a Rosetta," Mario said with relief. "Quite a nice bluff you did there..."

Rosetta giggled.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Mushroom Interstate)**

"Wake up, Dixie. We're here," Diddy said, shaking Dixie gently so that she'd slowly wake up.

"W-What? Oh!" Dixie's eyes snapped open immediately. With even as little as thirty minutes of rest, Dixie seemed to be much more refreshed and lively, but bags were still present under her eyes.

* * *

**Diddy & Dixie (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)**

The dating couple stepped onto the mat in unison, clearly happy to find themselves at the end of the leg.

"Welcome to Cavi Cape," the Borp greeted, its pink flowers swaying gently from the breeze on the cliffside.

"Thank you very much."

"Diddy & Dixie... You're the seventh team to arrive!" Rosetta told them joyfully.

**Diddy & Dixie – Dating : 7th Place, 6:35 P.M.**

The two chimps merely hugged each other, relieved that they were able to stay for another round.

* * *

**Boo / Daisy / Noki (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

With three carrots left, the last three searchers worked even more diligently than before, not wanting to be stuck in the bottom two places fighting for second to last place. Fortunately, for one of them, they found a carrot that filled the criteria for them and their teammate continue on.

"It's this, isn't it?" said Boo, holding a carrot with a tag tied around it up in front of his eyes, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : Currently in 8th (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm)**

"Y-You had me w-worried there for a second," Dry Bones stuttered. "B-But I b-believed that you were able to do it all along..."

"Really? Well, thanks..." Boo said somewhat absentmindedly; he was eager to receive their clue, which hopefully listed the directions to the next pit stop.

"Ride a bus to your next pit stop, Cavi Cape," read Boo.

* * *

**Peach / Pianta (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

Peach watched the two roommates set off for their next destination. "My, oh my... We're the last two teams remaining, then..."

Pianta nodded. "I have a good feeling that this is the last task."

"For one of us," corrected Peach. Her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to sound... so negative."

Pianta shook his head. "Someone has to lose."

Peach could only gaze at the hole in front of them, silently wishing that their partners would be able to find the carrot soon.

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones (Cavi Cape, Cliffside Bus Station)**

Boo and Dry Bones were helping each other strap their backpacks on before dashing straight for the pit stop.

"There's Rosetta, waiting for us..." Boo sighed from relief.

"I-It's been a long d-day, hasn't it?" Dry Bones questioned him.

Boo adjusted a buckled strap around his waist before replying, "Time doesn't exactly go slow for me... But yes, it does feel like it's been a longer day than usual..."

* * *

**Boo & Dry Bones (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)**

"Welcome to Cavi Cape," said the Borp.

"T-Thanks..."

"Thank you."

"Boo & Dry Bones..." Rosetta stared at them with a solemn look. "You're team number eight."

**Boo & Dry Bones – Roommates : 8th Place, 6:43 P.M.**

"Yeah... We knew we weren't going to be eliminated, sorry about that, Rosetta," Boo said, shrugging.

"I feel b-bad about the t-two teams behind us, though..." Dry Bones muttered, staring at the floor.

* * *

**Daisy / Noki (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage)**

It was a battle for survival, for ninth place. It all came down to this. As the two girls frantically searched through the piles of carrots, knowing that eventually one of them will come upon a marked one, they couldn't help but shiver. Not from the cold required to keep the carrots ripe in this underground cavern, but rather at the thought of being eliminated.

"Come on, it has to be here somewhere," Daisy said, pushing through carrots in one pile before quickly moving onto another.

"Please... Let me find it..." Noki pleaded quietly to herself, as she tossed a yellow, unripened carrot back into the pile she was working on.

**Peach / Pianta (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

"I know that Daisy is trying her hardest down there," Peach said to Pianta, who was sitting next to her with his arms stretched behind him. "And I know that your partner, Noki, is trying her best too."

Pianta didn't face Peach, but nodded in acknowledgment that their partners were doing the best that they can.

"No matter what the result is, one of us is going to be coming in last today..." Peach said, clasping her hands and placing it on her lap.

"It's been fun, hasn't it? Hectic, yes, but fun." Peach paused, and it seemed as if she was starting to ramble at this point, if she wasn't doing so earlier. But Pianta knew better than to interrupt her, for he could understand the turmoil running through her heart right now. Talking was probably one of the ways for the pink princess to soothe herself slightly.

"Why did it have to come down to this...?" Peach asked rhetorically. The fact is, with rhetorical questions like those, Peach would never find a definite answer.

**Daisy / Noki (Dimble Wood, Wiggler Carrot Farm, Underground Storage Entrance)**

A bewildered gasp broke the din in the tunnels suddenly. A gasp that resounded of triumph, surprise, and joy.

Someone had found their carrot. The carrot that was the beacon of hope for one fortunate team.

"Yes! I can't believe it... I've... I've got it!"

The figure ran back to the entrance of the hole, where a beam of light seemed to shine radiantly upon the victor.

And the other figure, sighing, kept searching through the piles of carrots, feeling that all hope was lost. There was nothing but for her to continue searching and finish this.

* * *

**? (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)**

The next team to arrive stepped placidly onto the mat, sighing with sadness, or disappointment, one couldn't tell.

"Welcome to Cavi Cape."

"Thank you..."

"Thanks..."

Rosetta stood shock still for a few moments before opening her mouth. In a quiet but firm voice, she announced, "Peach & Daisy. You're team number nine."

**Peach & Daisy – Best Friends : 9th Place, 6:58 P.M.**

As soon as she said it, the two princesses collapsed onto the ground, clinging onto each other, with tears pouring out of their eyes. Rosetta stared at them sadly.

"Oh... Oh! We know..." Peach gasped between sobs. "We know..."

"I... I feel terrible..." Daisy said, wiping away the tears rolling down her cheeks. "I can feel so many emotions running through my heart right now..."

"And the worst feeling of all... We know who got last..." said a sorrowful Peach.

* * *

**Noki & Pianta (Cavi Cape Cliffside Top)**

"Welcome to Cavi Cape..." said the Borp for one last time.

"Thanks... It's gorgeous here..."

Rosetta smiled as she always did, but her eyes showed nothing but sadness. "Noki & Pianta... You're the last team to arrive."

**Noki & Pianta – Friends : Last Place, 7:24 P.M.**

"It was obvious from the get-go," Noki said, trying her best to smile back at Rosetta.

"And... I'm very sorry to tell you that you two have been eliminated from the race..." Rosetta declared upon them, her petals drooping.

**Noki & Pianta – Friends**

**10th Place – ELIMINATED**

"For throughout this entire leg, we've been in the back of the pack," said Noki, as a few tears fell out of her eyes involuntarily. "No, scratch that. Ever since the beginning of this race, our placings haven't been kind to us..."

Pianta placed a hand on Noki's shoulder, as more tears began to pour down the side of her face.

"It all comes out to luck, doesn't it? The things we did today... it's all based on luck. It's so... so stupid..." Noki muttered. Her make-up began to become disfigured.

"I wouldn't call it luck... More like fate. Our decisions led to that fate..." said Pianta, patting his partner gently on the back. "We tried. We tried as hard as we could."

"And in the end, it still wasn't... enough..." Noki managed to blurt out, before falling to the ground in a puddle of tears.

Noki : I suppose it was destiny. It was predetermined by us, ourselves, to get last place. Ah... well. I had fun. I'm really glad I did it with Pianta, my friend and co-worker here, who I didn't really know that well as I should have.

Pianta : Our time here was short, but the bond forged between us will last much longer than our race did. It... It means a lot to me, doing this race with my friend, Noki. The race opened our eyes, enough so that we can truly understand the qualities of life... It was an adventure.

Noki : One amazing, unforgettable adventure.

"I-I guess it isn't wise of me to cry... I can always do that later," Noki decided. She looked up at her partner.

"It's time for us to leave now, right?"

Pianta nodded. Noki wiped away a last tear.

"Well... Thanks for having us. It was nice to meet everyone..." said Noki, as she clambered onto Pianta's shoulders, an action that she normally would not do since it came at the price of her pride, slightly, due to her short stature.

"Good-bye. It was our fortune to have met you, Miss Rosetta, along with all the other people we've come into contact while on this race..." Pianta waved a hand as he grabbed their bags.

"Good-bye..." Rosetta replied, waving a hand in return.

* * *

_Next time, on the Amazing Race._

_Peach & Daisy find themselves left with one option..._

"This is our last chance," Daisy said grimly.

"Oh, I just hope it doesn't lead to our undoing," Peach said, sighing heavily into her hands.

_Teams deal with disgusting dishes..._

"Just... let me chew it down slowly, okay?" said Birdo, clearly struggling to not spit the food out of her mouth.

"I don't think it's wise for me to talk right now," said Dry Bones through gritted teeth. His speech was oddly clear and was rid of any stuttering or chattering.

_And a new announcement from Rosetta that confounds the other teams._

"I'm pleased to say, however..." Rosetta began with a crafty smile.

* * *

Amazing Race Extra : Elimination Station – Via Ricco Harbor

A set of heavy and light footsteps emerged from a ferry reminiscent to that of those from the previous leg, in Isle Delfino. The footsteps followed along a wooden pier, which led to a large and luxurious island resort, surrounded by fruit-bearing trees and other tropical traits expected in such an environment.

The camera is suddenly focused on what was presumably a living room of sorts in the island resort. A second later, two figures came in, one large, and one short. Their awe at the extravagance of their residence for the next few weeks was visibly seen on their faces.

"Wow, we're actually staying here for the next few weeks? This is AMAZING!" Bowser Jr. exclaimed.

His father patted his son on the back with agreement. "Amazing is right, Junior."

Bowser : We're Bowser and Bowser Jr...

Bowser Jr. : And we're the first team to be eliminated from the Amazing Race.

Bowser wasn't someone that was easily impressed, and it showed, with him saying in response to the lavish surroundings, "This place looks pretty nice."

"Yeah... But I'd prefer to be still running the race," Bowser Jr. admitted. The two of them dropped their bags on the beds in their bedrooms, which were connected by a revolving screen door.

Bowser Jr. : Someone had to be the first team eliminated, and it was just our luck that that team was us.

Bowser : Yeah. There's a lot that we would've wanted to change if we could relive that day again, but it's too late for any hopeful thinking. What's done is done. We've tried to the best of our abilities, and we have no regrets.

The two spiked Koopas chatted about things they desired : rest and relaxation were definitely a top priority above all else. But before both, a quick snack was needed.

Bowser Jr. searched for the kitchen, but all he found was a dining room. Curiously, there was a phone sitting at the center of the table.

Bowser, surprisingly, spoke up, "Use it, Junior. That's a phone for room service." Apparently the great Koopa king was acquainted with such luxuries.

Bowser Jr.'s eyes widened, and he took up the phone with great haste. The two then enjoyed a nice dinner of steak and salmon, along with a large bowl of salad.

"This might not be so bad after all," said Bowser Jr., his mouth filled with steak and lettuce.

"Yep... I wonder who the next team eliminated will be?" Bowser mumbled through equally stuffed cheeks.

"It could be anyone," Bowser Jr. admitted. "But I hope Mario & Luigi get eliminated next. But at the same time, I don't, as that means that we'll have to share this awesome place with them..."

"Given how they probably got first, that doesn't seem likely," Bowser corrected him. "Maybe Peach & Daisy would be happy to join us, eh?"

Bowser Jr. shook his head.

"Either way, we're going to have a lot of time on our hands," said Bowser Jr.

"And nothing is going to stop us from enjoying it," said Bowser.

The two of them continued to munch happily away at their food, and after that, they decided to experience a nice massage given to them from a few Piantas.

* * *

Some statistics (Team name, Change in positions from previous leg to most current one, Roadblocks performed by each member) :

Petey Piranha & King Boo - 6th to 1st - Petey 1, King Boo 1

Yoshi & Birdo - 3rd to 2nd - Yoshi 1, Birdo 1

Goomba & Koopa - 10th to 3rd - Goomba 0, Koopa 2

Toad & Toadette - 2nd to 4th - Toad 1, Toadette 1

Wario & Waluigi - 9th to 5th - Wario 1, Waluigi 1

Mario & Luigi - 1st to 6th - Mario 2, Luigi 0

Diddy & Dixie - 5th to 7th - Diddy 1, Dixie 1

Boo & Dry Bones - 4th to 8th - Boo 1, Dry Bones 1

Peach & Daisy - 7th to 9th - Peach 0, Daisy 2

Noki & Pianta - 8th to 10th - Noki 2, Pianta 0

Bowser & Bowser Jr. - 11th - Bowser 0, Bowser Jr. 1


End file.
